''Leucoagaricus'' 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 ...

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 family

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 ...

. Several

fungus-growing ants Fungus-growing ants (tribe Attini) comprise all the known fungus-growing ant species participating in ant–fungus mutualism. They are known for cutting grasses and leaves, carrying them to their colonies' nests, and using them to grow fungus o ...

cultivate multiple species for food. The genus contains approximately 90 species.

Taxonomy

This group of mushrooms was first defined as a subgenus of ''

Leucocoprinus ''Leucocoprinus'' is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. Its best-known member is the distinctive yellow mushroom '' Leucocoprinus birnbaumii'', which is found in plant pots and greenhouses worldwide. The type species is '' Leucocoprinus ...

'' by Marcel Locquin in 1945, and it was then elevated to the status of genus by Rolf Singer in the journal ''

Sydowia ''Sydowia'' is a genus of fungi in the family Dothioraceae described by Giacomo Bresadola in 1895. The name honours German mycologist, Paul Sydow. Species As accepted by Species Fungorum; * '' Sydowia agharkarii'' * '' Sydowia ceanothi'' ...

'' in 1948. The group was characterized as belonging to family

with white, dirty cream or pink spores which are generally small (up to 10 µm) but much bigger in one species, with a germ pore, with a pseudo-

amyloid Amyloids are aggregates of proteins characterised by a fibrillar morphology of 7–13 nm in diameter, a beta sheet (β-sheet) secondary structure (known as cross-β) and ability to be stained by particular dyes, such as Congo red. In the huma ...

multilayered membrane, simple or ornamented, which is

metachromatic Metachromasia (var. metachromasy) is a characteristical change in the color of staining carried out in biological tissues, exhibited by certain dyes when they bind to particular substances present in these tissues, called chromotropes. For example ...

in cresyl blue. The hyphae in the sporocarp are without

clamp connections A clamp connection is a hook-like structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is a characteristic feature of Basidiomycetes fungi. It is created to ensure that each cell, or segment of hypha separated by septa (cross walls), rece ...

. There is always a

ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...

which is initially fixed (but later may be movable). The type species is ''Leucoagaricus barssii'' (Zeller) Vellinga, which was formerly called ''L. macrorhizus''.

Species

Select species include: *''

Leucoagaricus americanus ''Leucoagaricus americanus'' is a mushroom in the genus '' Leucoagaricus'', native to North America. It was first described by Charles Horton Peck, an American mycologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries, in 1869. It is widely distributed ...

'' *''

Leucoagaricus badhamii ''Leucoagaricus badhamii'' is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. The flesh of this mushroom turns blood red when cut or bruised, hence its common name of blushing dapperling. These damaged areas may eventually turn brown or black and l ...

'' *'' Leucoagaricus barssii'' *'' Leucoagaricus erythrophaeus'' *'' Leucoagaricus gaillardii'' *''

Leucoagaricus gongylophorus ''Leucoagaricus gongylophorus'' is a fungus in the family Agaricaceae which is cultivated by certain leafcutter ants. Like other species of fungi cultivated by ants, ''L. gongylophorus'' produces gongylidia, nutrient-rich hyphal swellings u ...

'' *'' Leucoagaricus leucothites'' *'' Leucoagaricus meleagris'' *'' Leucoagaricus moseri'' *'' Leucoagaricus nympharum'' *'' Leucoagaricus rubrotinctus'' *'' Leucoagaricus sericifer''

References

Agaricales genera Taxa named by Rolf Singer {{Agaricaceae-stub

Taxonomy

Species

See also

References