''Secotium'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
fungi
A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...
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 ...
. The members of this genus are closely related to ordinary ''
Agaricus
''Agaricus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom ...
'' mushrooms, but do not open out in the usual way; this has given rise to the term "
secotioid
Secotioid fungi produce an intermediate fruiting body form that is between the mushroom-like hymenomycetes and the closed bag-shaped gasteroid fungi, gasteromycetes, where an evolutionary process of gasteromycetation has started but not run to co ...
" for such mushrooms in general. They are thought to form an evolutionary link between
agarics and
gasteroid fungi (whose
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...
s are enclosed in a pouch-like structure). ''Secotium'' is a widespread genus, with species that are predominantly found in warm and arid regions.
Species
The secotioid species ''
Agaricus deserticola'' used to be named ''Secotium texense'' before its strong connection to ''
Agaricus
''Agaricus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom ...
'' caused it to be reclassified. Similarly, in
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
''
Clavogaster virescens'' was described as both ''Secotium superbum'' and ''Secotium virescens'', ''
Leratiomyces erythrocephalus'' as ''Secotium erythrocephalum'' and ''
Psilocybe weraroa'' as ''Secotium novae-zelandicus''.
See also
*
List of Agaricaceae genera
References
External links
*
Agaricaceae
Agaricales genera
Taxa named by Gustav Kunze
Taxa described in 1840
{{Agaricaceae-stub