(Kirschner 2010 ; Kirschner and Chen 2004 ;
Kirschner et al. 2010 , 2012 ) we can extrapolate
that there might be a rich diversity of forms still
to be detected. Their ecological function in
nature is still unknown.
Most species of Auriculariales are so-called
jelly fungi. As in Tremellomycetes, Dacrymy-
cetes, and Sebacinales, the basidiomes of most
members of Auriculariales have a gelatinous
consistency and are able to experience drought
conditions in a state of cryptobiosis, where the
water content of the basidiomes is drastically
reduced and the basidiomes revive and con-
tinue growing and sporulating when soaked
again (Wells 1994 ). TheAuricularia auricula-
judaecomplex includes the broadly distributed
wood-ear (mu-err) fungus, which occurs on
dead wood and is one of the most important
edible mushroom species of the world, particu-
larly in Asia (Chang and Wasser 2012 ). The
group contains other edible mushrooms, for
example, Tremiscus helvelloides; however,
these are only sporadically collected in the
field and not produced on an industrial scale.
Systematics: the monophyly of a core Aur-
iculariales (excludingCeratosebacinaandExi-
diopsis gloeophora) has been suggested by the
molecular phylogenetic analysis of Weiß and
Oberwinkler ( 2001 ), who included the broadest
sampling of species of this group to date. Some
prior analyses using only rRNA genes focused
on Agaricomycetes (Binder et al. 2005 ; Hibbett
and Binder 2002 ) resolved the Auriculariales as
a paraphyletic grade, but support for these
topologies has never been strong, and other
analyses show the group to be monophyletic.
Multigene or phylogenomic analyses are still
lacking for this group. Given that many taxa
of Auriculariales have not yet been sequenced
and the monophyly of the group is still tenta-
tive, an infraordinal classification is not yet
available. Elements of a future classification
may include a family, Auriculariaceae, com-
prising Auricularia, Eichleriella, Elmerina
[includingAporpiumandProtodaedalea],Exi-
dia,Exidiopsis, andHeterochaete; a clade com-
prising Myxarium (including Hyaloria with
gasteroid sporulation) and the sporodochial
anamorphHelicomyxa everhartioides; a clade
including Heterochaetella, Protodontia picei-
cola, Protomerulius, and possibly Tremello-
dendropsis; and a clade comprising
Basidiodendron,Bourdotia,Ductifera, and the
cyphelloid bulbilliferous anamorphOvipocu-
lum(Weiß and Oberwinkler 2001 ; Zhou and
Dai 2013 ).D. PhallomycetidaeThe group informally labeled the gomphoid-
phalloid clade (Hibbett and Thorn 2001 ) has
been classified as the subclass Phallomycetidae,
with four orders: Geastrales, Phallales, Gom-
phales, and Hysterangiales (Hosaka et al.
2006 ) (Fig.14.4).- Geastrales
Overview: this group is represented by earth-
stars (Geastrum) (Fig.14.4b), cannonball fungi
(Sphaerobolus), and false truffles (Radiigera,
Sclerogaster, andSchenella). Taxa with nonse-
questrate fruit bodies possess an exoperidium
that opens in a stellate manner as it matures,
exposing the endoperidium with one (Geas-
trum) or multiple stomata (Myriostoma)
(Sunhede 1989 ). Most taxa, exceptSclerogaster
andSphaerobolus, have a brownish to blackish
gleba, which becomes powdery at maturity.
Basidiospores of most taxa, includingScleroga-
ster, are globose with a warty to spiny ornamen-
tation. The fruiting body structure of
Sphaerobolusis unique for Geastrales in having
a single peridiole instead of a powdery gleba.
The mechanism of forcible ejection of peri-
dioles was described in detail by Ingold ( 1972 ).
Ecological diversity: the ecological charac-
ters of this group have rarely been investigated.
Many species of the order grow on soil but
without obvious ECM plants nearby. In addi-
tion, some species ofGeastrum,Sclerogaster,
andSphaerobolusoften fruit on rotten wood
or wood chips (Hosaka and Castellano 2008 ),
andSphaerobolusfruits abundantly on artificial
media (Geml et al. 2005 ). Several species of
Geastrumfavor semiarid to arid environments,
for example, well-drained sandy soils of coasts
and deserts (Kasuya et al. 2011 ). Such evidence
suggests that most, if not all, species in theAgaricomycetes 391