The Hyaloriaceae are a family of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species within the family have gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that produce spores on septate basidia and, as such, were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi". All appear to be saprotrophic, growing on dead wood or plant remains. Less than 30 species are currently included within the Hyaloriaceae, but the family has not been extensively researched.
Taxonomy
History
The family was established in 1900 by German
mycologist Gustav Lindau to accommodate a single, neotropical species,
Hyaloria pilacre. Lindau considered his new family to be close to the
Tremellaceae, but distinguished by the "angiocarpous" or
gasteroid fungi development of its fruit bodies (meaning that the spore-bearing
hymenium were covered until maturity, rather than exposed). The Hyaloriaceae were placed within the order
Tremellales by most subsequent authors,
until 1984, when American mycologist Robert Joseph Bandoni revised this group of fungi and placed the family within the
Auriculariales.
Wells (1994) later extended the Hyaloriaceae to include other genera with "myxarioid" basidia (septate basidia with an enucleate stalk), previously placed in the Aporpiaceae or Myxariaceae.
Current status
Initial molecular research, based on
cladistic analysis of
DNA sequences, has supported the placement of the Hyaloriaceae within the Auriculariales and has also supported Wells' placement of the genus
Myxarium within the family, though not all genera with "myxarioid" basidia are included.
Description
Species within the Hyaloriaceae form gelatinous fruit bodies that are pustular, lobed, or effused (
Myxarium species)
or resemble miniature puffballs (
Hyaloria species).
Microscopically, all possess "myxarioid" basidia.
Distribution and habitat
Species appear to be
saprotrophic, growing on dead wood or plant remains. Their distribution is cosmopolitan.
