''Nothomitra'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
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 earth tongue family
Geoglossaceae. There is no known common name. ''Nothomitra'' is
morphologically distinguished from ''
Microglossum
''Microglossum'' is a genus of fungi in the family Leotiaceae. Ascocarps (fruit bodies) occur in soil and resemble earth tongues, but are microscopically distinct. '' Microglossum atropurpureum'', a species typical of waxcap grassland in Europ ...
'' in that the fertile
hymenium in ''Nothomitra'' is not flattened as in ''Microglossum''. Furthermore, the
hymenium in ''Nothomitra'' is distinctly free at the junction of the
stipe, unlike in ''Microglossum'' in which the hymenium is flattened and gradually intergrades with the stipe.
History
The genus was first
circumscribed by Dutch mycologist
Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus
Rudolf Arnold Maas Geesteranus (20 January 1911 in The Hague – May 18, 2003 in Oegstgeest), was a Dutch mycologist
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their ...
from specimens collected in
Upper Austria
Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, an ...
in autumn 1964.
Two additional species were later
described: ''
Nothomitra kovalii'' was described by Ain Raitviir in 1971
[Raitviir A. 1971. The Geoglossaceae of the Far East, 52–83. In: Plants and Animals of the Far East (ed. E Parmasto). Valgus, Tallinn.] from
Kunashir
, other_names = kz, Kün Ashyr; ja, 国後島
, location = Sea of Okhotsk
, locator_map = File:Kurily Kunashir.svg
, coordinates =
, archipelago = Kuril Islands
, total_islands =
, major_islands =
, area =
, length =
, width = fr ...
in the
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
, and ''
Nothomitra sinensis'' was described by Zhuang and Wang in 1997 from China.
The placement of ''Nothomitra'' within the class
Geoglossomycetes has been confirmed using
molecular phylogenetics
Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...
.
Distribution
''Nothomitra'' is only known from Europe and China, though extensive distribution data is lacking.
Conservation
The conservation of ''Nothomitra'' has not formally been assessed on a global scale. ''N. cinnamomea'' and ''N. sinensis'' known from few localities in Europe and China, respectively, whereas ''N. kovalii'' is only known from its
type locality.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10603393
Geoglossaceae
Ascomycota genera
Taxa described in 1964