Families in the Aphyllophorales:

Auriscalpiaceae, Cantharellaceae, Clavariaceae, Corticiaceae, Echinodontiaceae, Fistulinaceae, Ganodermataceae, Gomphaceae, Hericiaceae, Hydnaceae, Hymenochaetaceae, Meruliaceae, Polyporaceae, Schizophyllaceae, Sparassidaceae; Stereaceae, Thelephoraceae

Hericiaceae: basidiomes typically highly branched; hymenophore spinose; monomitic; gloeocystidia not darkening in chemicals; spores colorless, asperulate, and amyloid; hyphae store food as true starch. In northern California, most species are edible.

Left: Hericium abietis group; in northern California found on trunks of down trees, particularly species of Abies; often abundant. Right: Hericium erinaceus; in northern California causes a heartrot of live oaks.

Hydnaceae: (in the traditional sense): basidiomes stipitate; monomitic; hymenophore spinose; spores white or brown. In the modern sense, Hydnum with smooth, colorless spores is still classified in the Hydnaceae. Phellodon with echinulate, colorless spores and basidiomes with an indeterminate growth pattern is placed in the Bankeraceae. Sarcodon and Hydnellum, with brown bumpy spores, are placed in the Thelophoraceae.

Hydnum repandum. Basidiomes with determinate growth; basidiospores colorless, smooth.

classification for Basidiomycotina

rusts and smuts, jelly fungi (tremellales), jelly fungi (dacrymycetales), agaricales, aphyllophorales, gasteromycetes

genus and species

introductory features for Basidiomycotina