CULTURAL CHARACTERS AS A GUIDE TO THE TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY OF THE POLYPORACEAE

Abstract

A study of the cultures of 252 species of the Polyporaceae provides evidence that the family is composed of two major groups: a primitive group consisting of species that produce no extracellular oxidase and, if heterothallic, show the bipolar type of interfertility; and a more advanced group made up of species that produce extracellular oxidase and, if heterothallic, show the tetrapolar type of interfertility in species whose hyphae are regularly nodose-septate or simple-septate, and the bipolar type of interfertility in species with hyphae simple-septate in the advancing zone and nodose-septate elsewhere. Within these major groups, groups of species, alike in hyphal and basidiospore characters, appear to be related and may represent taxa of generic or higher rank. An annotated key is presented, in which these groups of species are segregated in order of the increasing complexity of their hyphal components. The evaluation of the groups as taxonomic entities and of their arrangement in the key as a system of classification for the Polyporaceae requires a correlated study of sporophores and cultures. For the present, the species constituting each group, with relevant synonymy, are listed for the consideration of students of the family.