Fungalpedia – Note 3048, Lyophyllum
Lyophyllum P. Karst.
Citation when using this data: Senanayake IC et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Lyophyllaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetidae, Agaricomycetes, Agaricomycotina, Basidiomycota, Fungi.
The genus Lyophyllum represents one of the well-known agaric genera with about 116 species names (including synonyms) listed in the Index Fungorum (2023). The genus is widespread in the boreal, temperate, and arid regions, but only a few species are reported from the tropics (Pegler 1986; Singer 1986). The genus has an inconsistent taxonomic history. Traditionally, species of Lyophyllum are characterized by dull-coloured, collybioid, clitocyboid or tricholomatoid basidiocarps and basidia with siderophilous granules (Pegler 1983; Singer 1986; Kalamees 2004). In their phylogenetic analysis of the Lyophyllaceae, Hofstetter et al. (2002) demonstrated that Lyophyllum species fell into three separate groups and the type species of the genus, Lyophyllum leucophaeatum, nested in a clade containing Calocybe. To retain the genus name for the many commonly encountered dull-coloured species of Lyophyllum, conservation of the genus name with the new type L. semitale was proposed (Redhead et al. 2006). Subsequently, Hofstetter et al. (2014) identified a monophyletic lineage, the lyophylloid clade or Lyophyllum sensu stricto, which is composed of species characterized by basidiocarps with brown or dusky pigments and basidia containing siderophilous granules of the macro-type (Clémençon 1986). Some species of Lyophyllum (e.g., L. ambustum, and L. atratum) are reported to be carbonicolous.
So far, only four species of Lyophyllum (L. ulmarium, L. leucocephalum, L. ambustum, and L. subnigricans) have been reported from India (Manjula 1983). Of these, L. ulmarium and L. leucocephalum have now been transferred to Hypsizygus (as H. ulmarius) and Tricholomella (as T. constricta) respectively of the family Lyophyllaceae. Lyophyllum species have not been described so far in Kerala State of India (Sathe and Daniel 1980; Farook et al. 2013). During the course of our studies on the agarics of Kerala State, we came across an undescribed carbonicolous species of Lyophyllum. It is formally described, illustrated, and discussed here based on both morphology and molecular phylogeny.
Type species: Lyophyllum semitale (Fr.) Kühner 1938.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Lyophyllum.
References
Clémençon H. 1986 – Computer aided taxonomy of the staining species of Lyophyllum (Agaricales, Basidiomycetes). La famiglia delle Tricholomataceae. Atti del Convegno Internat. 10–15 settembre 1984, borgo Val di Taro, Italy. Centro Studi per la Flora Mediterrranea 35–61.
Farook VA, Khan SS, Manimohan P. 2013 – A checklist of Agaricus (gilled mushrooms) of Kerala State, India. Mycosphere 4: 97–131.
Kalamees K. 2004 – Palearctic Lyophyllaceae (Tricholomataceae) in Northern and Eastern Europe and Asia. Scr Mycol 18: 3–134.
Pegler DN. 1983 – Agaric flora of the Lesser Antilles. Kew Bulletin Additional Series 9: 1–668.
Pegler DN. 1986 – Agaric Flora of Sri Lanka. Kew Bulletin Additional Series 12:1–519.
Singer R. 1986 – The Agaricales in modern taxonomy, 4th edn. Koeltz Scientific Books, Königstein.
Entry by
Indunil C. Senanayake, Innovative Institute for Plant Health/ Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, Guangdong, China., Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand., Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, 3688, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China., University of L’Aquila, Department MeSVA, sect. Environmental Sciences, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito (AQ), Italy.
Published online 28 August 2026