Curvibasidium Sampaio & Golubev (2004)

This chapter discusses the genus Cuniculitrema. It provides a systematic discussion of the species and concludes with comments on the genus. The diagnosis of the genus is done on the basis of asexual, sexual, physiology and biochemistry, and phylogenetic placement. In asexual reproduction yeast cells are ovoid to elongate, and budding is predominantly polar. Ballistonidia are not formed. Cultures can be cream colored or pale orange. In sexual reproduction hyphae have clamp connections and a "simple" septal pore. Colacosomes are not produced. Spherical teliospores are formed, and when they germinate a holobasidium is formed. Sessile, ovoid to bacilliform basidiospores are passively released and germinate by budding. The genus Curvibasidium was erected to accommodate the sexual state of Rhodotorula fujisanensis (C. cygneicollum). The distinctive features of Curvibasidium are the production of teliospores and their germination by means of aholobasidium. The formation of a nonseptate basidium is a unique feature for the Pucciniomycotina. The basidiospores are sessile and germinate by budding. A second species, C. pallidicorallinum, is closely related but not identical to Rh. nothofagi. Based on phylogenetic analyses of sequence data, the closest relative of Curvibasidium is Leucosporidium fasciculatum. © 2011