Fungalpedia – Note 2918, Crittendenia
Crittendenia Diederich, Millanes, M. Westb., Etayo, J.C. Zamora & Wedin.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Crittendeniaceae, Agaricostilbales, Agaricostilbomycetidae, Agaricostilbomycetes, Pucciniomycotina, Basidiomycota, Fungi.
Crittendenia was introduced by Millanes et al. (2021) to accommodate two species, C. coppinsii and C. lichenicola, previously in Chionosphaera. The genus is characterized by basidiomata growing on lichens, which are fleshy-waxy, synnemata-like, and pale. Basidia are tubular, aseptate, with basal clamps, and collapse after spore detachment. Crittendenia species have hyaline, ellipsoid to fusiform basidiospores (Millanes et al. 2021).
Diederich et al. (2022c) revised the genus, introducing 16 species based on morphological characters and molecular data, bringing the total to 18 species. Crittendenia was placed within Crittendeniaceae (Agaricostilbales, Agaricostilbomycetes) based on phylogenetic analysis using LSU and ITS by Diederich et al. (2022c).
Type species: Crittendenia coppinsii (P. Roberts) Diederich, M. Westb., Millanes & Wedin
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Crittendenia.
Figure 1 – Crittendenia coppinsii redrawn from Millanes et al. (2021). a Immature basidiomata on Melanohalea exasperatula. b Mature basidiomata on Melanelixia glabratula. c Entire basidioma. d Basidia with basal clamps. e Mature basidium with basidiospores. f Basidiospores. Scale bars: a,b = 200 μm, c = 50 μm, d = 10 μm, e,f = 5 μm.
References
Entry by
Meng QF, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand and School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Guizhou 563000, China.
Published online 7 August 2026