Thelephora | |
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Thelephora terrestris | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Basidiomycota |
Class: | Agaricomycetes |
Order: | Thelephorales |
Family: | Thelephoraceae |
Genus: |
Thelephora Ehrh. ex Willd. (1787) |
Type species | |
Thelephora terrestris Ehrh. (1787) |
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Synonyms | |
Thelephora is a genus of fungi in the family Thelephoraceae. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 50 species. Fruit bodies of species are leathery, usually brownish at maturity, and range in shape from coral-like tufts to having distinct caps. Almost all species in the genus are thought to be inedible, but Thelephora ganbajun is a gourmet fungus in Yunnan province of southwest China.
The generic name is derived from the Greek thele (θηλή) meaning nipple and phorus meaning bearing. Species in the genus are commonly known as "fiber fans" and "fiber vases".