Keys to Corticioid Genera
Thanks to Dr. Sergio Pérez Gorjón for creating these dichotomous keys to corticioid genera and permitting their inclusion on CrustFungi.Com. The keys below are slightly updated from their original publication in 2020. Start with the main key to be guided to more specific keys for groups of morphologically similar genera.
Main Key
Key A
Basidiome pseudostipitate to stipitate and pileate.
Key B
Basidiome usually sessile and resupinate to pileate, hymenophore poroid with lacerate pores or with anastomosing ridges.
Key C
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, spores hyaline to typically brown or violet in KOH, ornamented, telephoric acid present (tomentelloid fungi).
Key D
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, smooth or hydnoid, with brown asterohyphidia or setae.
Key E
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae present.
Key F
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores amyloid.
Key G
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores dextrinoid.
Key H
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 4-8 sterigmata.
Key I
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores thick-walled and smooth, clamps absent or scattered.
Key J
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores thick-walled and smooth, clamps usually present (always at the basidial base).
Key K
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores ornamented and/or branched, lobed, triangular or tetrahedral.
Key L
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia present.
Key M
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with simple septa, cystidial organs present.
Key N
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with simple septa, cystidial organs absent (hyphidia may be present).
Key O
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with clamps, hyphal system di- or trimitic.
Key P
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with clamps, hyphal system monomitic, dendrohyphidia present.
Key Q
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with clamps, hyphal system monomitic, dendrohyphidia absent, cystidia present.
Key R
Basidiome usually resupinate, hymenophore non-typically poroid, without asterohyphidia; setae absent, dichohyphae and/or dextrinoid binding-skeletal hyphae absent; spores IKI–, basidia with 2-4 sterigmata, spores smooth, lyocystidia absent, generative hyphae with clamps, hyphal system monomitic, dendrohyphidia absent, cystidia absent.