The Gasteromycetes Class is split into smaller groups, called Orders. Below is a list of some Gasteromycetes Orders:
Phallales Order: Includes Stinkhorns, strong-smelling fungi which attract insects to spread spores. Examples: Elegant Stinkhorn, Lizard's Claw, and Stinky Squid.
Lycoperdales Order: Includes Puffballs and Earthstars. They can vary greatly in color, shape, and size. The Giant Puffball can grow larger than a soccerball. Other examples include: Pear-shaped Puffball, Rounded Earthstar, and Spiny Puffball.
Nidulariales Order: Includes Bird's-nest Fungi. These fungi are named because they resemble a cup-shaped bird's nest with eggs inside. Examples: White-egg Bird's Nest, Splash Cups, Common Gel Bird's Nest, and Cannon Fungus.
Sclerodermatales Order: Also called "False Puffballs." These fungi closely resemble puffballs and earthstars (Lydoperdales Order). Examples: Saltshaker Earthstar, Pigskin Poison Puffball, and Dye-maker's False Puffball.
All of the Orders above have been split into smaller groups, called Families. Families are then split into Genera. Remember, as each group gets smaller, organisms in that group are more and more alike. Each Genus will contain individual Species.
Information on specific Families and Genera is not included on this website, but you can find out which groups a species belongs to by checking the Classification Box at the bottom of each Species Page. See the example of an Elegant Stinkhorn below:
Elegant Stinkhorn: