Rickenella

---

title: "Rickenella" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["agaricomycetes-genera", "repetobasidiaceae"] description: "Genus of fungi" topic_path: "general/agaricomycetes-genera" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickenella" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of fungi ::

| image = Rickenella swartzii - Lindsey 2b.jpg | image_caption = Rickenella swartzii | taxon = Rickenella | authority = Raithelh. (1973) | type_species = Rickenella fibula | type_species_authority = (Bull.) Raithelh. (1973) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = R. alexandri

R. aulacomniophila

R. demissella

R. fibula

R. mellea

R. minuta

R. piquiniana

R. straminea

R. swartzii

Rickenella is a genus of brightly colored bryophilous (moss inhabiting) agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit patches of moss that grow on soil, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of the planet. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia. and the clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria.

Rickenella is most similar to Contumyces and Blasiphalia, from the former differing by having its cystidia on the cap, stipe, and hymenium solitary and scattered. The hair-like cystidia on the cap and stipe give the small mushrooms a fuzzy appearance when viewed through a magnifying glass or hand lens. This helps to distinguish the genus from genera like Loreleia, which can be orange colored and inhabits similar sites, as well as other brightly pigmented omphalinoid genera. Rickenella does not produce massive clasping, hand-like appressoria on the rhizoids of its host, as does Blasiphalia. Instead, Rickenella produces a small appressorium or no appressoria and penetrates the rhizoids of its moss hosts, growing within the cells.

The monotypic genus Blasiphalia is a recent molecular segregate of Rickenella.

Etymology

Rickenella was named after the German mycologist Adalbert Ricken, the author of "Die Blätterpilze (Agaricaceae) (1915) Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Länder, besonders Oesterreichs und der Schweiz".

References

References

1. Dentinger, B.T.M. & McLaughlin, D.J.'. (2006). "Reconstructing the Clavariaceae using nuclear large subunit rDNA sequences and a new genus segregated from ''Clavaria''". Mycologia.
2. "caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de".
3. (2006). "Behaviour in cultures and habitat requirements of species within the genera ''Loreleia'' and ''Rickenella'' (Agaricales)". Acta Mycologica.
4. (2006). "Reconstructing the Clavariaceae using nuclear large subunit rDNA sequences and a new genus segregated from ''Clavaria''". Mycologia.
5. Kost G.. (1986). "Morphology, anatomy and biology of species of the genus ''Rickenella''. La Famiglia delle Tricholomataceae. Atti del Convegno Internazionale de 10-15 settembre 1984". Atti del Centro Studi per la Fora Mediterranea.
6. Kuyper TW. (1986). "Generic delimitation in European omphalinoid Tricholomataceae. La Famiglia delle Tricholomataceae. Atti del Convegno Internazionale de 10–15 settembre 1984". Atti del Centro Studi per la Fora Mediterranea.
7. (2004). "High phylogenetic diversity among corticioid homobasidiomycetes". Mycological Research.
8. Larsson KH. (2006). "Hymenochaetales: a molecular phylogeny for the hymenochaetoid clade". Mycologia.
9. (1994). "''Omphalina'' sensu lato in North America. 1-2: 1: ''Omphalina wynniae'' and the genus ''Chrysomphalina''. 2: ''Omphalina'' sensu Bigelow". Mycotaxon.
10. Redhead SA. (1981). "Parasitism of bryophytes by agarics". Canadian Journal of Botany.
11. (2002). "Phylogeny of agarics: partial systematics solutions for bryophilous omphalinoid agarics outside of the Agaricales (euagarics)". Mycotaxon.
12. (2002b). "Phylogeny of agarics: partial systematics solutions for core omphalinoid genera in the Agaricales (euagarics)". Mycotaxon.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::