''Nothomitra'' 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 ...

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 Geoglossaceae is a family of fungi in the order Geoglossales, class Geoglossomycetes. These fungi are broadly known as earth tongues. The ascocarps of most species in the family Geoglossaceae are terrestrial and are generally small, dark in col ...

. 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 Europe, ...

'' in that the fertile

hymenium The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some ...

in ''Nothomitra'' is not flattened as in ''Microglossum''. Furthermore, the

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 In geometry, the circumscribed circle or circumcircle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The center of this circle is called the circumcenter and its radius is called the circumradius. Not every polyg ...

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 fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry ...

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, a ...

in autumn 1964. Two additional species were later described: ''

Nothomitra kovalii ''Nothomitra'' is a genus of fungi in the earth tongue family Geoglossaceae. There is no known common name. ''Nothomitra'' is morphologically distinguished from ''Microglossum'' in that the fertile hymenium in ''Nothomitra'' is not flattened as i ...

'' was described by Ain Raitviir in 1971Raitviir 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 Geoglossaceae is a family of fungi in the order Geoglossales, class Geoglossomycetes. These fungi are broadly known as earth tongues. The ascocarps of most species in the family Geoglossaceae are terrestrial and are generally small, dark in colo ...

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