Asterophora lycoperdoides

Asterophora lycoperdoides is a species of fungus in the Lyophyllaceae family. It grows as a parasite on other mushrooms, mainly Russulas. Its gills are poorly formed or nearly absent. Asexual spores are produced on the mushrooms cap which enable the organism to clone itself easily. The spores are star-shaped, hence the name star bearer. It is regarded as inedible.[2]

Asterophora lycoperdoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Lyophyllaceae
Genus:	Asterophora
Species:	A. lycoperdoides
Binomial name
Asterophora lycoperdoides (Bull.) Ditmar
Synonyms[1]
Species synonymy 1784 Agaricus lycoperdoides Bull. 1840 Asterophora agaricicola Corda 1818 Asterophora agaricoides Fr. & Nordholm 1989 Nyctalis agaricoides (Fr.) Bon & Courtec. 1849 Artotrogus asterophora Fr. 1851 Asterotrichum ditmarii Bonord. 1805 Merulius lycoperdoides (Bull.) Lam. & DC. 1889 Nyctalis lycoperdoides (Bull.) J.Schröt. 1898 Artotrogus lycoperdoides (Bull.) Kuntze 1898 Hypolyssus lycoperdoides (Bull.) Kuntze 1933 Nyctalis asterophora f. major J.E.Lange 1836 Asterophora nauseosa Weinm. 1874 Nyctalis nauseosa (Weinm.) Fr. 1995 Nyctalis agaricoides f. nauseosa (Weinm.) Bon

Taxonomy

The species was first named as Agaricus lycoperdonoides by French mycologist Jean Baptiste Francois Pierre Bulliard in 1784.

References

1. "Asterophora lycoperdoides (Bull.) Ditmar 1809". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
2. Phillips, Roger (2010) [2005]. Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.

External links

• Mushroom Observer
• Asterophora lycoperdoides in Index Fungorum