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 ...
of
mushroom
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...
-forming
fungi
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 ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Amanitaceae
The Amanitaceae is a family of mushroom-forming fungi. ''Amanita'' Pers. is one of the most specious and best-known fungal genera. The family, also commonly called the amanita family, is in order Agaricales, the gilled mushrooms. The family co ...
Agaricales
The fungal order Agaricales, also known as gilled mushrooms (for their distinctive gills) or euagarics, contains some of the most familiar types of mushrooms. The order has 33 extant families, 413 genera, and over 13,000 described species, alo ...
. Some of the species have been classified as members of genus ''
Lepiota
''Lepiota'' is a genus of gilled mushrooms in the family Agaricaceae. All ''Lepiota'' species are ground-dwelling saprotrophs with a preference for rich, calcareous soils. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are agaricoid with whitish spores, typically ...
''. ''Limacella'' was described by mycologist
Franklin Sumner Earle
Franklin Sumner Earle (September 4, 1856 – January 31, 1929) was an American mycologist who specialized in the diseases and cultivation of sugar cane. He was the first mycologist to work at the New York Botanical Garden, and was the author of '' ...
in 1909.
In some older classification schemes, ''Limacella'' has alternatively been placed in family
Pluteaceae
The Pluteaceae are a family of small to medium-sized mushrooms which have free gill attachment and pink spores. Members of Pluteaceae can be mistaken for members of Entolomataceae, but can be distinguished by the angled spores and attached gill ...
. The species formerly classified in the genus ''Limacella'' are now placed in 4 genera; ''
Catatrama
''Catatrama'' is a fungal genus in the family Amanitaceae, order Agaricales. Originally a monotypic genus with ''Catatrama costaricensis'', found in ''Quercus pilarius'' forest in Costa Rica. In 2007, the species was reported from Brazil. Sinc ...
'', ''
Limacellopsis
''Limacellopsis'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi in the family Amanitaceae in order Agaricales. Analysis of DNA sequences was used to show that ''Limacellopsis'' was separate from ''Limacella
''Limacella'' is a genus of mushroom-formi ...
'', ''Limacella'', and ''
Zhuliangomyces
''Zhuliangomyces'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi in the family Amanitaceae
The Amanitaceae is a family of mushroom-forming fungi. ''Amanita'' Pers. is one of the most specious and best-known fungal genera. The family, also commonly calle ...