Typhula

{{Short description|Genus of fungi}} {{MCN|date=January 2025}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Typhula-quisquiliaris Sowerby crop.jpg | image_upright = 1.1 | image_caption = ''Typhula quisquiliaris'', as illustrated by James Sowerby | taxon = Typhula | authority = (Pers.) Fr. (1818) | type_species = ''Typhula incarnata'' (proposed)<ref name="Olariaga2020"/> | type_species_authority = Lasch (1838) | synonyms =''Cnazonaria'' Corda ''Dacryopsella'' Höhn. ''Gliocoryne'' Maire ''Phacorhiza'' Pers. ''Pistillaria'' Fr. ''Pistillina'' Quél. ''Sphaerula'' Pat. ''Tygervalleyomyces'' Crous | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = *''Typhula erythropus'' * ''Typhula canadensis''<ref name="Hoshino2022"/> * ''Typhula ishikariensis'' **''Typhula ishikariensis'' var. ''idahoensis''<ref name="Hoshino2022"/> * ''Typhula quisquiliaris'' * ''Typhula uncialis'' * ''Typhula variabilis'' }}

'''''Typhula''''' is a genus of clavarioid fungi in the order Agaricales. Species of ''Typhula'' are saprotrophic, mostly decomposing leaves, twigs, and herbaceous material. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are club-shaped or narrowly cylindrical and are simple (not branched), often arising from sclerotia. A few species are facultative plant pathogens, causing a number of commercially important crop and turfgrass diseases.

==Taxonomy== The genus was first introduced as a section of ''Clavaria'' by South African-born mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon in 1801. He differentiated ''Typhula'' from ''Clavaria'' on the basis of fruitbody shape (''Typhula'' having a distinct head and stem). The name was taken up at generic level by Elias Magnus Fries in 1818. Fries described four species in the genus. Subsequent authors described another 150 or so species in ''Typhula''.<ref name="IndexFung"/>

The genus was revised in 1950 by E. J. H. Corner, who characterized ''Typhula'' species as having fruit bodies arising from sclerotia, the genera ''Pistillaria'' and ''Pistillina'' accommodating similar species lacking sclerotia.<ref name="Corner1950"/> A later and more specialist revision by Jacques Berthier (1976) placed both these latter genera in synonymy.<ref name="Berthier1976"/>

Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, indicates that the genus is monophyletic and forms a natural group.<ref name="Olariaga2020"/> The type species, ''T. phacorrhiza'', is not, however, closely related to other species in the genus and belongs in ''Macrotyphula''. Rather than rename all other species currently referred to ''Typhula'' or ''Macrotyphula'', a proposal is being made to change the type species of ''Typhula'' to ''T. incarnata''.<ref name="Olariaga2020"/>

==Description== Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) arise singly or severally from a sclerotium or directly from the substrate. Fruit bodies are filiform (hair-like) to club-shaped, typically with a distinct sterile stalk and fertile head, normally white, in some species buff to pink, or with a dark reddish stem. The sclerotia (when present) are spherical to lentil-shaped, hard and horny, yellow-brown to blackish brown. Microscopically, the hyphal system is monomitic, the hyphae with or without clamp connections. The basidia produce 2 to 4 basidiospores that are smooth (lobed in one species), colourless, and amyloid or inamyloid.<ref name="Berthier1976"/>

==Habitat and distribution== ''Typhula'' species mostly occur as saprotrophs on dead herbaceous stems, fern stems, grass stems, fallen leaves, and woody detritus. Some species occur on a wide range of host plants, others—such as ''Typhula quisquiliaris'' on bracken—appear to be host-specific.<ref name="Berthier1976"/> A few species are or can become facultative (opportunistic) parasites of crops and turfgrass.

Most species have been described from the north temperate zone, but little research has been undertaken in the tropics or southern hemisphere, where they are either less common or (as yet) overlooked.<ref name="Berthier1976"/>

==Economic importance== The psychrophilic species ''Typhula canadensis'',<ref name="Hoshino2022"/> ''Typhula ishikariensis'', and ''Typhula incarnata'' are the causal agents of grey snow mould (also called speckled snow mould or typhula blight), a disease that can destroy turfgrass when covered for a long period with snow. It is a particular problem on golf courses established in unsuitable areas.<ref name="snowmould"/> More importantly, the same two species can also damage crops of winter wheat, as can the unrelated ''Macrotyphula phacorrhiza''.<ref name="Schneider1986"/>

==References== {{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="IndexFung">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/Names.asp|title = Index Fungorum - Search Page}}</ref>

<ref name="Corner1950">{{cite book |title=A monograph of ''Clavaria'' and allied genera. |last=Corner EJH. |year=1950 |publisher=Cambridge University Press }}</ref>

<ref name="Berthier1976">{{cite book |title=Monographie des ''Typhula'', ''Pistillaria'' et genres voisins. |last=Berthier J. |year=1976 |publisher=Société Linnéenne de Lyon }}</ref>

<ref name="snowmould">{{cite web |url=http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/MISCE2002/jan2002.htm |title=Jan2002 |access-date=2013-02-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410035831/http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/MISCE2002/jan2002.htm |archive-date=2013-04-10 }}</ref>

<ref name="Olariaga2020">{{cite journal |author=Olariaga I, Huhtinen S, Læssøe T, Petersen JH, Hansen K |title=Phylogenetic origins and family classification of typhuloid fungi, with emphasis on ''Ceratellopsis'', ''Macrotyphula'' and ''Typhula'' (Basidiomycota) |journal=Studies in Mycology |volume=96 |year=2020 |pages=155–184 |doi=10.1016/j.simyco.2020.05.003|pmid=32774511 |pmc=7388190 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Hoshino2022">{{cite journal |author=Hoshino T, Tkachenko OB, Motoaki T, Tronsmo AM, Kasuya T, Matsumoto N |year=2022 |title=Taxonomic revision of the ''Typhula ishikariensis'' complex |journal=Mycoscience |volume=63 |issue=3 |pages=118–130 |doi=10.47371/mycosci.2022.03.003|doi-access=free |pmid=37089628 |pmc=10042319 }}</ref>

<ref name="Schneider1986">{{cite journal |doi=10.1080/07060668609501799 |vauthors=Schneider EF, Seaman WL |year=1986 |title=''Typhula phacorrhiza'' on winter wheat |journal=Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology |volume=8 |pages=269–276 |issue=3 |bibcode=1986CaJPP...8..269S }}</ref> }}

Category:Typhulaceae Category:Agaricales genera