Helicobasidium purpureum was first described from France in 1885 by French
DNA sequences, indicates that at least two species occur in the H. purpureum complex in Europe.[2]
anamorph in 1801 as Sclerotium crocorum, moved by de Candolle in 1815 to his new genus Rhizoctonia. Subsequent authors described a number of additional species in Rhizoctonia which are currently considered synonyms of R. crocorum (later called Thanatophytum crocorum). DNA evidence indicates that at least two species occur in the Thanatophytum crocorum complex in Europe, one of which is an anamorph of a species in the H. purpureum complex, the other a species in the Helicobasidium longisporum complex.[2]
The rust parasite Tuberculina persicina is a further anamorph linked to Helicobasidium purpureum, but again represents a complex of at least four species, two of which are linked to H. longisporum.[2]
Description
Basidiospores are oblong and often weakly curved, mostly 8–13 x 4.5–6 µm.[1]
Distribution
Helicobasidium purpureum has been recorded mainly from temperate areas of America, Asia, and Europe.
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