The Georgefischeriales: a phylogenetic hypothesis

To obtain an understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among the Gror gefischeriales, septation, cellular interactions, teliospores, basidia, cul tures and nucleotide sequences from the 5' terminal domain of the nuclear l arge subunit rRNA e;ene were studied. Analyses of both morphological and mo lecular characters yield similar phylogenetic conclusions. The Georgefische riales are divided into three groups, corresponding to the Eballistraceae, Georgefischeriaceae. and Tilletiariaceae. The basal dichotomy is between th e Eballistraceae and the branch uniting the Georgefischeriaceae and Tilleti ariaceae. The Tilletiariaceae are phragmobasidiate. whereas the Eballistrac eae and the Georgefischeriaceae are holobasidiate. The Eballistraceae diffe r from the Georgefischeriaceae and Tilletiariaceae in the lack of the balli stospore mechanism. The systematic position of Tilletiopsis minor is unclea r. The Eballistraceae. Eballistra and Phragmotaenium are proposed as new ta xa. The descriptions of the Tilletiariaceae and Jamesdicksonia are emended. Except for Entyloma majus. E. parvum, Georgefischeria, Jamesdicksonia brun kii. J. obesa, Tilletiaria anomala. and Tolyposporella chrysopognis, the te leomorphic species of the Georgefischeriales are presented as new combinati ons.