PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEM OF GASTEROMYCETEAE 



657 



AGARICACEAE 

 j? 



SECOTIACEAE 



PODAXACEAE 



I 



TULOSTOMATACEAE 



EVOLUTION UPWARD TO AGARICACEAE 



OR 



DOWNWARD TO PROTOGASTER 



AND GASTERELLA 



HYDNANGIACEAE 



GEASTRACEAE 



LYCO PER DACE AE 



MELANOGASTRAGEAE 



SPHAEROBOLACEAE PHALLACEAE 

 NIDULARIACEAE 



CLATHRACEAE 

 HYSTERANGIACEAE 



SCLERODERMATACEAE 



RHIZOPOGON 

 HEMIGASTER / HYMENOGASTER 



1 



GASTERELLA 



PROTO- 

 GASTER 



GASTEROMYCETEAE 



I 



I 



Fig. 210. Diagram showing the possible relationships within the Gasteromyceteae, 

 based largely upon Fischer (1933), with some additions. 



The plectobasidial structure of some Gasteromyceteae appears, in the 

 author's opinion, to have arisen at many points in evolution by the failure 

 of the hymenium to form a distinct layer bounding each hymenial cavity 

 when produced. In its place the basidiogenous hyphae grow unequally 

 and fill these cavities with a loose mass of hyphae bearing scattered 

 basidia. Since this appears in one or two species of Sphaerobolaceae while 

 other species have normal hymenial cavities, in Astraeus while the rest of 

 the Geastraceae have typical glebal structure, and in some genera of 

 Tulostomataceae while some genera are not plectobasidial, it seems more 

 reasonable to distribute such plectobasidial forms among genera with 

 normal hymenial cavities with which they show the closest resemblance 

 instead of putting them all together in one series. 



The coralloid structure by emphasis on a number of main branches 



