Melanoleuca

For other uses, see Melanoleuca (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Melaleuca.

Melanoleuca
Melanoleuca cognata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Tricholomataceae
Genus:	Melanoleuca Pat.
Type species
Melanoleuca melaleuca (Persoon) Murrill

Melanoleuca is a genus of mushrooms in the Tricholomataceae family. Most are small to medium sized, white to brown, with white spores and close gills. They grow directly from the ground, have a nearly flat cap and a tough thin stem. The spores of members of Melanoleuca are ornamented with amyloid warts. They are difficult to identify without a microscope. DNA studies have determined that this genus is closely related to Amanita and Pluteus. ^[1] The widespread genus contains about 50 species.^[2]

The name of the genus is derived from the Ancient Greek melano- meaning "black", and leukos meaning "white".

Species include:

• Melanoleuca alboflavida edible
• Melanoleuca angelesiana
• Melanoleuca brevipes
• Melanoleuca cognata edible
• Melanoleuca evenosa edible
• Melanoleuca graminicola
• Melanoleuca lewisii
• Melanoleuca melaleuca
• Melanoleuca privernensis
• Melanoleuca verrucipes

See also

Fungi portal

• List of Tricholomataceae genera

References

1. ^ Moncalvo JM, et al. (2002). One hundred and seventeen clades of euagarics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 23: 357–400. Available from: http://www.botany.utoronto.ca/faculty/moncalvo/117clade.pdf
2. ^ Kirk PM, Cannon PF, Minter DW, Stalpers JA. (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi (10th ed.). Wallingford, UK: CABI. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-85199-826-8. 

External links

• Melanoleuca in Index Fungorum.
• Mushroom Expert - The Genus Melanoleuca