Geastrales

Geastrales K. Hosaka & Castellano, in Hosaka et al., Mycologia 98(6): 956 (2006)

Diagnostic characters: Basidiomata hypogeous or epigeous, solitary, gregarious or caespitose on a common stroma or subiculum, sequestrate or opening as stellate to irregular rays at maturity; endoperidial body sessile to stipitate. Rhizomorphs often conspicuous at base of basidiomata, sometimes of ampullate hyphae and acanthocystidia with yellowish contents. Peridium 2– 5-layered; if the exoperidium opens at maturity, the endoperidial body possesses one to multiple stomata, or dehisces irregularly, or forcibly discharges a peridiole. Gleba of tramal plates radiating out from a central columella, or divided into one to multiple peridioles, or with spherical to elongate locules, yellow to orange, brown, or black, often powdery at maturity; capillitium present or absent. Basidia globose, clavate, pyriform to tubular, often constricted below the rounded apex, 4–8-spored. Spores statismosporic, symmetrical, globose, subglobose to ellipsoid, smooth to verrucose, echinulate or with ramified ridges, hyaline to brown in KOH, inamyloid, nondextrinoid.

Index Fungorum number: IF501522

Type family: Geastraceae Corda Icones fungorum hucusque cognitorum 5: 25 (1842)

 

References:

Corda, A.C.J. 1842. Icones fungorum hucusque cognitorum. 5:1-92

Hosaka, K. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics of the gomphoid-phalloid fungi with an establishment of the new subclass Phallomycetidae and two new orders. Mycologia. 98(6):949-959

 

Recent Genus

Dextrinocystidium
Amylofungus
Phallobata

Recent Species

Dextrinocystidium sacratum
Amylofungus corrosus
Phallobata alba