Omphalotaceae


The Omphalotaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Basidiocarps are most frequently agarics, but occasionally corticioid or poroid.

Taxonomy

The family was originally described in 1985 by German mycologist Andreas Bresinsky to accommodate the genus Omphalotus based on anatomical and morphological characters which he considered distinctive. He placed the family within the Boletales. Subsequent molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, indicated, however, that Omphalotus belonged within the Agaricales. Moreover, the genus formed a monophyletic clade with a much larger group of fungi, many of which were formerly placed in the Marasmiaceae. The earliest name for this clade is the Omphalotaceae.