A New Homobasidiomycete with Anomalous Basidia

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Abstract
CHIONOSPHAERA apobasidialis gen. et sp. nov. is described. Its basidiocarps are tiny white capitate synnemata, occurring on the bark of dead limbs of Quercus macrocarpa Michx., Q. stellata Wang. and Carpinus caroliniana Walt. They bear a superficial resemblance to some synnematous imperfect fungi and to some basidiomycetes. The fungus completes its life cycle in culture on a variety of media. Its basidiospores germinate by budding, and it is heterothallic. Fruiting bodies are produced in culture only when Chionosphaera is grown in association with a species of Cladosporium or another appropriate hyphomycete. The basidia of Chionosphaera are apobasidia, common among gasteromycetes but unique among hymenomycetes. It is most closely related to Filobasidium floriforme Olive. The Filobasidiaceae is emended to allow the inclusion of Chionosphaera.