HIGHER TAXA OF BASIDIOMYCETES - AN 18S RIBOSOMAL-RNA GENE PERSPECTIVE

In order to identify monophyletic groups and evaluate competing class level systems of classification, we sequenced the 18S rRNA gene from nine basidiomycetes. For phylogenetic analysis, these sequences were aligned with rRNA sequences for 10 other basidiomycetes and three ascomycetes. Using the ascomycetes as an outgroup, the basidiomycetes fell into three major lineages; the Ustilaginales smuts, simple septate basidiomycetes, and hymenomycetes formed a basal unresolved trifurcation. Maximum likelihood was used to test variations on the most parsimonious tree and to evaluate the higher level classifications of basidiomycetes proposed by Patouillard, Lowy, Talbot, and Donk.