HISTORICAL AND CURRENT PERSPECTIVES IN THE SYSTEMATICS OF AUSTRALIAN CORTINARIOID SEQUESTRATE (TRUFFLE-LIKE) FUNGI

Historically, sequestrate macrofungi with purported affinities to Cortinarius and related agarics, have been classified among taxa representing a broad range of basidiome forms and phylogenetic affinities. In recent decades increasing recognition of the ecological function and importance of sequestrate macrofungi has provided an impetus for research into their ecology and taxonomy. The classification of the cortinarioid sequestrate fungi remains contentious despite an intensifying research effort. Related cortinarioid genera spanning agaricoid to gastroid basidiome forms share characters including spore structure, pigmentation and ornamentation; basidiome pigmentation and development; and similarities in molecular sequences. This paper provides an account of historical and current information on the systematic position of cortinarioid sequestrate fungi, based on published classical and molecular studies. The authors provisionally accept as ‘cortinarioid’, 16 genera of sequestrate fungi having purported affinities to Cortinarius and related agaricoid fungi. Thirty-nine published species in 11 of these genera are currently reported from Australia. The history of collecting and classifying cortinarioid sequestrate fungi, as outlined in this paper, illustrates well the effect of increased scientific effort in uncovering previously unrecognised relationships among components of Australia’s unique and diverse fungal flora. A.A. Francis & N.L. Bougher (2002) [2003]. Historical and current perspectives in the systematics of Australian cortinarioid sequestrate (truffle-like) fungi. Australasian Mycologist 21 (3): 81–93