The Clavicipitaceae are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

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 ...

within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genera in the family, but recent work has increased this number to 97.

Phylogeny

Molecular

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates the

taxon In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...

Clavicipitaceae is paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined clades, at least one of which is shared with members of another fungal family (

Hypocreaceae The Hypocreaceae are a family within the class Sordariomycetes. Species of Hypocreaceae are usually recognized by their brightly colored, perithecial ascomata, typically yellow, orange or red. The family was proposed by Giuseppe De Notaris in 184 ...

). The evolution within the Clavicipitaceae is marked by interkingdom host jumping, and the range of this large and heterogeneous fungal group spans mutualistic plant symbionts, as well as parasites of plants, insects, and other fungi.

Significance

Many of its members produce

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

s toxic to animals and humans. One of its most infamous species is ''

Claviceps purpurea ''Claviceps purpurea'' is an ergot fungus that grows on the ears of rye and related cereal and forage plants. Consumption of grains or seeds contaminated with the survival structure of this fungus, the ergot sclerotium, can cause ergotism in h ...

'', which has historical significance as the cause of St. Anthony's fire, also known as ergotism. Ergotism is caused by

ergot alkaloids Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is ''Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that ca ...

, such as

ergotamine Ergotamine, sold under the brand names Cafergot (with caffeine) and Ergomar among others, is an ergopeptine and part of the ergot family of alkaloids; it is structurally and biochemically closely related to ergoline. It possesses structural sim ...

and

ergocristine Ergocristine is an ergopeptine and one of the ergot alkaloids. As of February 24, 2010 ergocristine has been federally scheduled. Because of the existing Controlled Substance Act regulatory controls on the LSD precursors lysergic acid, lysergi ...

, which are chemical derivatives of

lysergic acid Lysergic acid, also known as -lysergic acid and (+)-lysergic acid, is a precursor for a wide range of ergoline alkaloids that are produced by the ergot fungus and found in the seeds of '' Turbina corymbosa'' (ololiuhqui), '' Argyreia nervosa'' ...

. ''

Metarhizium ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms (anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' species are widely used in the

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also i ...

of insect pests.

Genera

Several genera, especially those previously described as " anamorphic" (having no known sexual cycle) are now re-classified into other families, in light of recent molecular and other evidence. ''Mycobank'' currently (July 2018) lists the following genera in this family:Mycobank: Clavicipitaceae (retrieved 21 July 2018)
/ref> * '' Aciculosporium'' * '' Akrophyton'' * '' Aschersonia'' * '' Atkinsonella'' * '' Atricordyceps'' * ''

Balansia ''Balansia'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genera in the family, but recent work has increased this number to 97. Phylogeny ...

'' * '' Balansiella'' * '' Balansiopsis'' * '' Barya'' * '' Baryella'' * '' Belaina'' * '' Berkelella'' * '' Blistum'' * '' Byssostilbe'' * '' Campylothecium'' * '' Cavimalum'' * '' Cepsiclava'' * '' Chamaeleomyces'' * '' Chromostylium'' * '' Claviceps'' * '' Collarina'' * '' Commelinaceomyces'' * '' Conoideocrella'' * '' Corallocytostroma'' * '' Cordycepioideus'' * '' Cordylia'' * '' Corynesphaera'' * '' Diheterospora'' * '' Dothichloë'' * '' Drechmeria'' * '' Dussiella'' * '' Echinodothis'' * '' Ephelis'' * ''

Epichloë ''Epichloë'' is a genus of ascomycete fungi forming an endophytic symbiosis with grasses. Grass choke disease is a symptom in grasses induced by some ''Epichloë'' species, which form spore-bearing mats ( stromata) on tillers and suppress t ...

'' * '' Epicrea'' * '' Ergotaetia'' * '' Fleischeria'' * '' Harposporium'' * ''

Helminthascus ''Helminthascus'' is a genus of fungi within the Clavicipitaceae family. This is a monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does ...

'' * '' Heteroepichloe'' * ''

Hypocrella ''Hypocrella''Sacc. (1878) ''Michelia'' 1(no. 3): 322. is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. Species The Catalogue of Life The Catalogue of Life is an online database that provides an index of known species of animals, plants, ...

'' * '' Hypocreophis'' * '' Hypoxylum'' * '' Kentrosporium'' * '' Konradia'' * '' Linearistroma'' * ''

Metacordyceps ''Metacordyceps'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. The anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleom ...

'' * '' Metapochonia'' * '' Metarhiziopsis'' * ''

'' * '' Mitosporium'' * '' Mitrasphaera'' * '' Moelleria (fungus)'' * '' Moelleriella'' * '' Mothesia'' * '' Mycomalus'' * '' Mycophilomyces'' * '' Myriogenis'' * '' Myriogenospora'' * '' Neobarya'' * '' Neoclaviceps'' * '' Neocordyceps'' * ''

Neotyphodium ''Neotyphodium'' is a genus of endophytic fungi symbiotic with grasses. It used to contain a number of asexually reproducing species that colonize the leaves of cool-season grasses, but most of them, including the type species '' N. coenophial ...

'' * '' Nigelia'' * '' Nigrocornus'' * ''

Nomuraea ''Nomuraea'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. The genus name of ''Nomuraea'' is in honour of H. Nomura (b.1897), who was a Japanese scientist. The genus was circumscribed by André Maublanc in Bull. Soc. Mycol. France vol.19 ...

'' * '' Ophiodothis'' * '' Orbiocrella'' * '' Palaeoclaviceps'' * '' Parepichloë'' * '' Phytocordyceps'' * '' Pochonia'' * '' Podocrella'' * '' Polistophthora'' * '' Polynema (fungus)'' * '' Polyrhina'' * '' Pseudomeria'' * '' Racemella'' * '' Regiocrella'' * '' Romanoa (fungus)'' * '' Samuelsia'' * '' Shimizuomyces'' * '' Spermoedia'' * '' Sphacelia'' * '' Sphaceliopsis'' * '' Sphaerocordyceps'' * '' Stereocrea'' * '' Tettigorhyza'' * '' Torrubia (fungus)'' * '' Typhodium'' * '' Tyrannicordyceps'' * '' Underwoodina'' * '' Ustilaginula'' * '' Ustilagopsis'' * '' Villosiclava'' * ''

Wakefieldiomyces ''Wakefieldiomyces'' is a genus of fungi within the Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genera in the family, but recent work has increased this number to 97. Phylo ...

'' * '' Xylariopsis (fungus)''

References

*C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., ''Introductory Mycology, 4th ed.'' (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004)

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q672560 Ascomycota families Taxa named by Gustav Lindau