Sparassidaceae

The Sparassidaceae are a family of fungi in the order Polyporales. The family was circumscribed by German botanist Wilhelm Herter in 1910 to contain the genus Sparassis.^[1] Sparassiella was added to the family in 1964.^[2] As of April 2018^[update], Index Fungorum accepts 10 species in the Sparassidaceae.^[3]

Sparassidaceae
Sparassis crispa, edible member of the Sparassidaceae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Polyporales
Family:	Sparassidaceae Herter (1910)
Type genus
Sparassis Fr. (1819)
Genera
Sparassiella Sparassis

Description

The fruit bodies of Sparassidaceae fungi consist of branched, fan-shaped segments that originate from a central core. The hyphal system is monomitic, with gloeoplerous hyphae (containing oil droplets). These hyphae have scattered clamp connections. The spores are smooth, thin- to somewhat thick-walled, and hyaline (translucent). Cystidia are mostly absent from the hymenium. Sparassidaceae fungi cause brown rot.^[4]