Fungalpedia – Note 2919, Cyphobasidium
Cyphobasidium Millanes, Diederich & Wedin.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Cyphobasidiaceae, Cyphobasidiales, Agaricostilbomycetidae, Agaricostilbomycetes, Pucciniomycotina, Basidiomycota, Fungi.
Cyphobasidium was introduced by Millanes et al. (2016a) to accommodate C. hypogymniicola and C. usneicola, both transferred from Cystobasidium. The genus is characterized by basidiomata that induce conspicuous, convex galls with a constricted base on host lichen thalli, often becoming irregular in shape. Context hyphae may have clamps, but haustorial branches are unknown. Mature basidia consist of a thick-walled, ellipsoid to elongate lower part (probasidium) and a thin-walled, cylindrical, often bent, transversely 3-septate upper part (meiosporangium); the epibasidia are short and roughly perpendicular to the basidium. Basidiospores are ellipsoid to broadly fusiform, sometimes slightly curved, with a distinct refractive apiculus at the lower end and a rounded upper end. Initially placed in Cystobasidiomycetes based on phylogenetic analysis using LSU, ITS and SSU sequences (Millanes et al. 2016a). Cyphobasidium was later accommodated into the new family Cyphobasidiaceae and new order Cyphobasidiales established based on SSU, ITS and LSU sequence (Spribille et al. 2016). Diederich et al. (2022d) expanded the genus with seven new species, bringing the total to nine recognized lichenicolous species.
Type species: Cyphobasidium hypogymniicola (Diederich & Ahti) Millanes, Diederich & Wedin.
=Cystobasidium hypogymniicola Diederich & Ahti.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Cyphobasidium.
Figure 1 – Cyphobasidium hypogymniicola redrawn from Diederich et al. (2022d). a Basidiomatal galls on the thallus of Hypogymnia physodes. b Section through a basidioma. c Probasidia. d, e basidia. f basidiospores. Scale bars: a= 1 mm, b–e = 10 μm, f = 5 μm.
References
Spribille T, Mayrhofer H. 2016 – Nomenclatural novelties. Index Fungorum 309, 1-1.
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