What is "cystoderma"

Cystoderma is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae or Cystodermataceae. Its family position is in doubt and the family "Cystodermataceae" and tribe "Cystodermateae" have been proposed to include this group following recent molecular work.

Previously Cystoderma comprised a wider range of species but in 2002 Harmaja separated some of them off into the new genus Cystodermella (for instance Cystoderma cinnabarinum, C. elegans and C. granulosum). The separation was made largely on the basis that the spores in the new genus were not at all amyloid. Those remaining in Cystoderma have weakly to strongly amyloid spores, tend to have a persistent ring and to have arthroconidia. DNA analysis supports the division into the two groups, but further investigation has shown that none of the morphological characteristics distinguish between them in a consistent clear-cut way.

The name probably comes from the Greek kýstis meaning pouch and derma meaning skin.