A conidia-forming basidiomycete in the pterulaceae

Abstract

During an investigation on exotic weeds, a small, branched clavarioid fungus was collected in Montana grasslands. The clavarioid form and presence of a dimitic hyphal system place it in Pterulaceae (Aphyllophorales). Prolific conidia are a consistent feature of the mycelium in pure culture, and examination of the basidiocarps revealed similar conidia on the attenuated branch tips of some specimens. The taxon is designated here as Pterula subulata Fr. conidial form. Conidia formation, while not unknown in clavarioid fungi, is rare, and has not been reported for this genus.