Loweomyces

It was originally circumscribed as a subgenus of Spongipellis by the Czech mycologists František Kotlaba and Zdeněk Pouzar in 1976.^[3] Swiss mycologist Walter Jülich promoted it to a genus segregate from Spongipellis in 1982, with two species: L. fractipes (the type), and L. wynneae. Jülich thought the genus should be distinct from Spongipellis based on the larger basidia, the absence of skeletal hyphae, and smaller tubes.^[4] L. fractipes and L. wynneae have had their generic positions confirmed with molecular phylogenetics, and both group in the "residual polyploid clade", one of four main lineages of the Polyporales.^[2][5] The genus is named in honour of American mycologist and polypore specialist Josiah Lincoln Lowe.^[6]

Loweomyces is distinguished by the ease of spore germination in growth media, larger basidia, the absence of skeletal hyphae, and smaller tubes, plates or spines, compared with European Spongipellis species.^[4] Fruit bodies are either crust-like or have a cap and stipe. The hyphal system is either monomitic (possessing only generative hyphae) or dimitic (having both generative and pseudo-skeletal hyphae).^[7]

The genus contained four species as of January 2015^[update].^[8] Two new species from Brazil were described in 2016.^[7]

• Loweomyces fractipes (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Jülich (1982) – Europe; North America
• Loweomyces sibiricus (Penzina & Ryvarden) (Spirin 2006)^[9]
• Loweomyces spissus Westphalen, Tomšovský & Rajchenb. (2016) – Brazil
• Loweomyces subgiganteus (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) (Spirin 2006)^[9]
• Loweomyces tomentosus Westphalen, Tomšovský & Rajchenb. (2016)– Brazil
• Loweomyces wynneae (Berk. & Broome) Jülich (1982) – Europe