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
class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
corticioid fungi
The corticioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having effused, smooth basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the undersides of dead tree trunks or branches. They are sometimes colloquially called crust fungi or pa ...
.
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 ...
within the order are generally
saprotrophic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ( ...
parasitic
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...
on grasses or
lichens
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.Plant pathogens of economic importance include '' Erythricium salmonicolor'', ''
Laetisaria fuciformis
''Laetisaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are effused, corticioid, smooth, and grow as plant pathogens on grasses or agave leaves, or as lichenicolous fungi on lichens, or on dead wood. '' Laetis ...
The order was established in 2007 by Swedish mycologist Karl-Henrik Larsson, based on molecular phylogenetic research. It includes the
Corticiaceae
The Corticiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Corticiales. The family formerly included almost all the corticioid (patch- or crust-forming) fungi, whether they were related or not, and as such was highly artificial. In its current sense, ...
cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
and contains around 150 species of fungi worldwide. The majority of species in the Corticiales are saprotrophs, most of them wood-rotters, typically found on dead attached branches. Some species of ''
Laetisaria
''Laetisaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are effused, corticioid, smooth, and grow as plant pathogens on grasses or agave leaves, or as lichenicolous fungi on lichens, or on dead wood. '' Laetis ...
'' are facultative or obligate parasites of grasses; some species of '' Erythricium'' and '' Waitea'' are also facultative plant parasites; and some species of '' Erythricium''. ''
Laetisaria
''Laetisaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are effused, corticioid, smooth, and grow as plant pathogens on grasses or agave leaves, or as lichenicolous fungi on lichens, or on dead wood. '' Laetis ...
Citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
pathogens
In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a ger ...
of commercial cereal crops, causing a number of diseases including sheath spot of
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
Laetisaria fuciformis
''Laetisaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are effused, corticioid, smooth, and grow as plant pathogens on grasses or agave leaves, or as lichenicolous fungi on lichens, or on dead wood. '' Laetis ...
'' is the cause of
red thread disease Red thread disease is a fungal infection found on lawns and other turfed areas. It is caused by the corticioid fungus ''Laetisaria fuciformis'' and has two separate stages. The stage that gives the infection its name is characterised by very thin, ...
in
turf grass
A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawnmower (or sometimes grazing animals) and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes. L ...