The Psathyrellaceae are a family of dark-spored

agarics An agaric () is a type of fungus fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. In the UK, agarics are called "mushrooms ...

that generally have rather soft, fragile fruiting bodies, and are characterized by black, dark brown, rarely reddish, or even pastel-colored spore prints. About 50% of species produce fruiting bodies that dissolve into ink-like ooze when the spores are mature via autodigestion. Prior to phylogenetic research based upon DNA comparisons, most of the species that autodigested were classified as Coprinaceae, which contained all of the inky-cap mushrooms. However, 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 specime ...

of ''

Coprinus ''Coprinus'' is a small genus of mushroom-forming fungi consisting of ''Coprinus comatus''the shaggy ink cap (British) or shaggy mane (American)and several of its close relatives. Until 2001, ''Coprinus'' was a large genus consisting of all ag ...

'', '' Coprinus comatus'', and a few other species, were found to be more closely related to

Agaricaceae The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. Taxonomy The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...

. The former genus ''

'' was split between two families, and the name "Coprinaceae" became a synonym of Agaricaceae in its 21st-century phylogenetic redefinition. Note that in the 19th and early 20th centuries the family name Agaricaceae had far broader application, while in the late 20th century it had a narrower application. The family name Psathyrellaceae is based on the former Coprinaceae subfamily name Psathyrelloideae. The type genus ''Psathyrella'' consists of species that produce fruiting bodies which do not liquify via autodigestion. ''Psathyrella'' remained a polyphyletic genus until it was split into several genera including 3 new ones in 2015.Örstadius L., Ryberg M, Larsson E. Molecular phylogenetics and taxonomy in Psathyrellaceae (Agaricales) with a focus on psathyrelloid species: introduction of three new genera and 18 new species. Mycol. Progr. 14:25: 1-41. 2015 ''Lacrymaria'' is another genus that does not autodigest its fruiting bodies. It is characterized by rough basidiospores and lamellar edges that exude beads of clear liquid when in prime condition, hence the Latin reference, ''lacryma'' (tears). Most Psathyrellaceae basidiospores have germ pores, and the pigment in the spore walls bleaches in concentrated sulfuric acid. This contrasts with another phylogenetically unrelated dark-spored genus, ''Panaeolus''. Psathyrellaceae are saprotrophs or rarely mycoparasites on other agarics (e.g. ''Psathyrella epimyces''). They often occur in nitrogen-rich habitats such as muck soils, dung, wet soft decayed wood, lawns, garden soils.

Genera ''Coprinellus'', ''Coprinopsis'' and ''Parasola''

Species in the genera ''Coprinellus'', ''Coprinopsis'' and ''Parasola'' were until recently classified in the genus ''Coprinus'', or in the case of a few ''Coprinellus''

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

, in ''Pseudocoprinus''. Based on molecular data, the genus ''Coprinus'' was divided, with these three genera moved to the family Psathyrellaceae

''

Coprinellus ''Coprinellus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi in the family Psathyrellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by the Finnish mycologist Petter Adolf Karsten in 1879. Most ''Coprinellus'' species were transferred from the once large genus ''Copr ...

'' is a genus first described by

Petter Karsten Petter Adolf Karsten (16 February 1834 – 22 March 1917) was a Finnish mycologist, the foremost expert on the fungi of Finland in his day, and known in consequence as the "father of Finnish mycology". Karsten was born in Merimasku near Turku, s ...

in 1879. ''

Coprinopsis ''Coprinopsis'' is a genus of mushrooms in the family Psathyrellaceae. ''Coprinopsis'' was split out of the genus ''Coprinus'' based on molecular data. The species ''Coprinopsis cinerea'' (='' Coprinus cinereus'') is a model organism for mushro ...

'' was split from the genus ''Coprinus'' based on molecular data. The species ''Coprinopsis cinerea'' is a model organism for mushroom-forming Basidiomycota, and its genome has recently been sequenced completely.

References

External links

"The Genus ''Coprinus'': The Inky Caps"
by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.com'', February, 2005.
All about Inkcaps: ''Coprinus'' site of Kees Uljé
– taxonomy and keys to coprinoid fungi.

by Tom Volk, ''TomVolkFungi.net''. – Includes information on how the genus ''Coprinus'' was recently segregated.

''Illinois Mycological Association'' (online). {{Taxonbar, from=Q2370590 Basidiomycota families

Genera ''Coprinellus'', ''Coprinopsis'' and ''Parasola''

See also

References

External links