Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

The Hymenochaetales are an order of fungi within the phylum Basidiomycota. This group includes fungi that are mycorrhizal or saprotrophic, meaning they live in association with plant roots or decompose organic matter. Many species in this order cause white rot, a type of wood decay. The fruiting bodies of these fungi can be inconspicuous, and many have an imperforate parenthesome, a structure within their cells. The genus Hymenochaete is part of this order and is characterized by a corky or leathery fruiting body with a downy hymenium due to projecting cystidia.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.