''Laccaria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

around 75 species of

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

found in both

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

and

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

regions of the world. They are

mycorrhizal A mycorrhiza (from Greek μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plan ...

. The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

is ''

Laccaria laccata ''Laccaria laccata'', commonly known as the deceiver, or waxy laccaria, is a white-spored species of small edible mushroom found throughout North America and Europe. It is a highly variable mushroom (hence 'deceiver'), and can look quite washed o ...

'', commonly known as the deceiver. Other notable species include '' L. bicolor'', and the amethyst deceiver ('' L. amethystina''), sometimes incorrectly written as ''L. amethystea''. Because some ''Laccaria'' species have the ability to grow vegetatively and/or germinate from basidiospores in culture, they are often used as experimental systems for studies of

ectomycorrhizal An ectomycorrhiza (from Greek ἐκτός ', "outside", μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. ectomycorrhizas or ectomycorrhizae, abbreviated EcM) is a form of symbiotic relationship that occurs between a fungal symbiont, or mycobi ...

basidiomycetes. They have a tetrapolar

mating system A mating system is a way in which a group is structured in relation to sexual behaviour. The precise meaning depends upon the context. With respect to animals, the term describes which males and females mating, mate under which circumstances. Reco ...

, meaning that there the

mating type Mating types are the microorganism equivalent to sexes in multicellular lifeforms and are thought to be the ancestor to distinct Sex, sexes. They also occur in macro-organisms such as fungi. Definition Mating types are the microorganism equivalent ...

is controlled by 2 loci. Recently, the genome of ''L. bicolor'' has been sequenced.Martin F, Selosse MA. (2008). The ''Laccaria'' genome: a symbiont blueprint decoded. ''New Phytologist'' 180(2):296-310.

Description

''Laccaria'' typically have thick, widely spaced, purple to flesh-colored

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

that are

adnate Adnate may refer to: * Adnation, in botany, the fusion of two or more whorls of a flower * Adnate, in mycology, a classification of lamellae (gills) * Conjoined twins Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are ...

to slightly

decurrent ''Decurrent'' (sometimes decurring) is a term used in botany and mycology to describe plant or fungal parts that extend downward. In botany, the term is most often applied to leaf blades that partly wrap or have wings around the stem or petio ...

in attachment. The

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s are white and ornamented in most species.

Selected species

The following is an incomplete list of ''Laccaria'' species reported in the literature: * ''

Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis is a mushroom found under conifers, usually pine, growing alone, scattered or gregariously in western North America.Muller, 1984. Description The cap is 1–7 cm; broadly convex to plane, becoming nearly f ...

'' * ''

Laccaria amethystina ''Laccaria amethystina'', commonly known as the "amethyst deceiver", is a small brightly colored mushroom, that grows in deciduous and coniferous forests. The mushroom itself is edible, but can absorb arsenic from the soil. Because its bright ...

'' * '' Laccaria alba'' * '' Laccaria angustilamella'' * '' Laccaria aurantia'' – China * ''

Laccaria bicolor ''Laccaria bicolor'' is a small tan-colored mushroom with lilac gills. It is edible but not choice, and grows in mixed birch and pine woods. It is found in the temperate zones of the globe, in late summer and autumn. ''L. bicolor'' is an ect ...

'' * '' Laccaria fraterna'' * '' Laccaria fulvogrisea'' – China * ''

Laccaria gomezii ''Laccaria amethystina'', commonly known as the "amethyst deceiver", is a small brightly colored mushroom, that grows in deciduous and coniferous forests. The mushroom itself is edible, but can absorb arsenic from the soil. Because its bright a ...

'' * '' Laccaria japonica'' – Japan * ''

'' * '' Laccaria longipes'' * '' Laccaria maritima'' * '' Laccaria montana'' * '' Laccaria moshuijun'' – China * '' Laccaria nobilis'' * '' Laccaria ochropurpurea'' * '' Laccaria paraphysata'' * '' Laccaria proxima'' * '' Laccaria pseudomontana'' * '' Laccaria purpureobadia'' * '' Laccaria tetraspora'' * '' Laccaria tortilis'' * '' Laccaria vinaceobrunnea'' * ''

Laccaria yunnanensis ''Laccaria'' is a genus around 75 species of fungus found in both temperate and tropical regions of the world. They are mycorrhizal. The type species is ''Laccaria laccata'', commonly known as the deceiver. Other notable species include '' L.&nbs ...

'' – China

Gallery

Image:Laccaria amethystea.jpg, ''Laccaria amethystina'' Image:Laccaria bicolor, DOE.jpg, ''Laccaria bicolor'' Image:Laccaria laccata 3 - Lindsey.jpg, ''Laccaria laccata'' Image:Laccaria proxima JPG01.JPG, ''Laccaria proxima''

References

External links

* (Archived at: CYBERLIBER: an Electronic Library for Mycology.) * (Archived at:

Archive.org The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

.) *

Field Museum of Natural History The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educational ...

. Retrieved 2010-12-12. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2666545 Agaricales genera Taxa named by Christopher Edmund Broome Taxa named by Miles Joseph Berkeley