Fungalpedia – Note 48 Barcheria
Barcheria T. Lebel
Citation if using this entry: Bera et al. (2023) Basidiomycota. Mycosphere (in prep)
Index Fungorum, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig. 1
In exploration in the woodlands of Australia, a unique sequestrate mushroom was discovered which has been established as the genus Barcheria T. Lebel (Lebel et al. 2004). The morphological features such as the fragile texture of the basidiomata, the peridium with purplish-brown scales, and cream colour of the gleba changing to pale orange on exposure seemed to be reminiscent of species of Agaricus and Lepiota (Lebel et al. 2004). However, the very reduced form of the basidiomata of Barcheria and the comparative phylogenetic analysis with closely related members of Agaricaceae based on nrLSU sequence data confirmed its identity as a separate genus (Lebel et al. 2004). This monotypic genus (type: Barcheria willisiana T. Lebel) has been named in honour of Barbara Archer, who has given a significant contribution to the arid-land mycota of Western Australia (Lebel et al. 2004). The basidiomata are generally sessile and globose to subglobose shape with spongy texture (Lebel et al. 2004). This genus has a complete absence of stipe and columella (Lebel et al. 2004). The peridium is composed of often branching, septate, brown-walled hyphae with encrustations sometimes (Lebel et al. 2004). The hymenophoral trama is of interwoven hyphae with presence of inflated hyphae in the subhymenium region (Lebel et al. 2004). Basidia are generally bisterigmate and cystidia are mostly protruding past the basidioles (Lebel et al. 2004). The basidiospores of this genus are subglobose to broadly ellipsoid, dextrinoid in Melzer’s reagent, and hyaline in potassium hydroxide and water (Lebel et al. 2004). Clamp connection in tissues are completely absent (Lebel et al. 2004). The type specimen has been discovered as associated with the vegetation of mallee woodland dominated by species of Eucalyptus, Allocasuarina, and Melaleuca (Lebel et al. 2004). To date only the type species is the only known species under this genus.
Type species: Barcheria willisiana T. Lebel
Fig 1. Barcheria willisiana (PERTH). a & b. Basidiomata. c. Basidiospores. d. Basidioles and basidia. Scale bars: a = 10 mm, c = 10 μm, d = 4 μm. Drawn from Lebel et al. 2004.
Reference
Lebel T, Thompson DK, Udovicic F 2004 –Description and affinities of a new sequestrate fungus, Barcheria willisiana gen. et sp. nov. (Agaricales) from Australia. Mycol. Res., 108(2), 206–213. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0953756208620602
Entry by
Ishika Bera, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
(Edited by Kevin D Hyde)