Introduction

Mushrooms observed in the field are only the visible part of a much larger organism, the fungus. This is mainly formed by a web of filaments (hyphae) which make up the mycelium, sometimes occupying many square meters in extension. Mycelia can live in three different ways: 1. - As decomposers of organic matter. These feed on debris (especially plants), such as branches, stems, leaves or the organic matter in the soil. 2. - As parasites. These live off of other living beings, which are harmed in the process. They can parasitize plants (mildew, rusts, blights ...) or animals (ringworm, athlete's foot, fungal infections ...). 3. In association with another living beings, forming symbiosis. Both organisms benefit, as in the case of lichens (fungus-alga association) or mycorrhizae (fungus-plant association). The vast majority of plants are associated with mycorrhizal mushrooms.

Ectomycorrhizae. The mycelium does not penetrate the plant root, but forms a sheath that covers the branchings of fine roots. These predominate in temperate forests in families such as Fagaceae, Betulaceae, Pinaceae, and Cistaceae. A single tree can be associated with many mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi produce large and fleshy fruitbodies (mushrooms) in order to disseminate their spores.

A single tree could established mycorrhiza with several species of fungi

Mycorrhizae
In this partnership, the mycelium is associated to the root of a plant. There are several kinds of mycorrhiza, the most important being: Endomycorrhizae. Here the mycelium penetrates the plant root. Endomycorrhizal fungi do not produce mushrooms and predominate in tropical forests. They occur in many botanical families such as Lamiaceae, Taxodiaceae, Cupressaceae, Poaceae. Where these plants are dominant, there are no mycorrhizal mushrooms (just decomposers and parasites).

Forests and mycorrhizas

Mycorrhizal mushrooms that can be found in forests and shrublands, depending on two main factors:

Woodland Age: Since mycorrhizal species evolve with forest age, there are species typical of young forests, the micopioneers; other species which are typically found in intermediate stage forests, the micotransitionals; and others in old and mature forests, called micoclimax (Moreno, 2004). Micoclimax species are the least common, as these old forests are very rare in many parts of the world.

Tree species: Certain mycorrhizal fungi are linked only with pines, others with oaks, others with lindens, others with many varieties of trees and shrubs, others with rockroses, etc.

In about 60 cases, these species are exclusively linked with Cistus (cistophilic fungi). With reference to the Iberian Peninsula, the studies completed by J. Vila and X. Llimona (1998, 1999,2002,2006 and 2009) on Cistus shrubland in Catalunya should be singled out.

Thus, the greatest variety of mycorrhizal fungi are encountered in forests where there are trees of different ages along with a variety of tree and shrub species. In the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, a greater diversity of fungi can be found in decarbonated soils, which are more conducive to the development of the mycelia.

These mycorrhizal fungus communities of Cistus shrublands are unique in the world, exclusive to the Mediterranean and, especially to the Western Mediterranean, where Cistus has its greatest diversity and has registered the highest number of species associated with these shrublands.

Ectomycorrhiza in Cistus laurifolius Map of distribution and number of Cistus species by country. The diagrams represent the ratio of white-flowered species (white) and pink (gray area), in Guzmn and Vargas, 2005. In gray, Mediterranean biogeographical region.

Cistophilous communities
The shrubs of the genus Cistus (rock roses), set both ectomycorrhizae and endomycorrhizae. In the first case, with a huge variety of species of fungi. According to Comandini et al (2006), about 230 different ectomycorrhizal species can be associated with Cistus, while Vila & Limona (2009) registered the existence of 278 Cistophilic species, including the Saprophytes.

Mushrooms exclusively cistophilous (* decomposer species)

Amanita muscaria var. inzengae Amanita vaginata var. cistetorum Arrhenia tabaresiana * Ciboria cistophila * Clitocybe cistophila * Cortinarius assiduus var. plesiocistus Cortinarius aureocistophilus Cortinarius ayanamii Cortinarius bulbosovulvatus Cortinarius castaneus var. monspeliensis Cortinarius cistoadelphus Cortinarius cistohelvelloides Cortinarius cistoiodosmus Cortinarius cistophilus Cortinarius cistovelatus Cortinarius coeruleopallesecens Cortinarius conico-obtusarum Cortinarius contui Cortinarius llimonae Cortinarius longisporus Cortinarius mahiquesii Cortinarius parvostriatus Cortinarius sabulicola Cortinarius scobinaceus Cortinarius subcotoneus Cortinarius xanthosarx Cortinarius xerophilus Entoloma cistophilum * Entoloma cistoumbonatum * Entoloma malenonii * Entoloma philocistus * Entoloma olivaceohebes * Entoloma sericeum var. minutisporum * Entoloma undatum var. aciesterilis * Hebeloma album Hebeloma cavipes Hebeloma cistophilum Hebeloma erumpens Hebeloma hiemale Hebeloma plesiocistum Hemimycena conidiogena * Hygrophorus chrysodon var. cistophilus Hygrophorus pseudodiscoideus var. cistophilus Hysterangium clathroides var. cistophilum * Inocybe cistobulbipes Inocybe rocabrunae Laccaria laccata fo. pseudobicolor Laccaria proxima Lactarius cistophilus Lactarius cyanopus Lactarius tesquorum Leccinum corsicum Lepiota pleurocystidiophora * Mycena cistophila * Phanerochaete andreae Rectipilus cistophilus * Russula cistoadelpha Russula monspeliensis Tubaria cistophila *

Source: Galn et al. (1996), Vila & Llimona (1998, 1999, 2009), Moreau et al. (2005), Comandini et al. (2006)

Lactarius cistophilus.

Hygrophorus pseudodiscoideus var. Cistophilus

Cistophilous fungal communities are one of the most original and interesting features of the Mediterranean mycota, unique to this biome. The greatest variety of Cistus are found on the Iberian Peninsula Cistus shrublands offer us a wide variety of fungi, a unique place where mushroom lovers can enjoy and learn about these fungi, unique in the world.

Vila, J. y Llimona, X. 1998. Els fongs del Parc Natural del Cap de Creus i Serra de Verdera (Girona). I. Espcies xerfiles de llocs oberts, amb Cistus i gramnies. Revista Catalana de Micologia, vol. 21: 125-136. Vila, J. y Llimona, X. 1999. Els fongs del Parc Natural del Cap de Creus i Serra de Verdera (Girona). II. Aproximaci al component fngic del Cistion. Revista Catalana de Micologia, vol. 22: 95-114. Vila, J. y Llimona, X. 2002. Noves dades sobre el component fngic de les comunitats de Cistus de Catalunya. Revista Catalana de Micologa, 24: 74-121 Vila, J. y Llimona, X. 2006. Noves dades sobre el component fngic de les comunitats de Cistus de Catalunya. II. Revista Catalana de Micologa, 28: 167-207 Vila, J. y Llimona, X. 2009. Noves dades sobre el component fngic de les comunitats de Cistus de Catalunya. III. Addicions, correccions i claus didentificaci. Revista Catalana de Micologa, vol. 31: 103-137.

References:
Comandini, O., Contu, M. and Rinaldi, A. C. 2006. An overview of Cistus ectomycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhiza 16: 381-395 Galn, R., Raitviir, A. and Palmer, J. T. 1996. Ciboria cistophila, sp. nov., a Leaf-Inhabiting Cistophilous Member of the Sclerotiniaceae. Mycotaxon, 59: 227-236 Guzmn, B. and Vargas, P. 2005. Systematics, character evolution, and biogeography of Cistus L. (Cistaceae) based on ITS, trnL-trnF, and matK sequences. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution 37: 644-660 Moreau, P., Vila, J., Prez-De-Gregorio, M. A., Llistosella, J. And Llimona. 2005. Hemimycena conidiogena, a new cistophilous basidiomycete. Mycotaxon, 91: 323-332 Moreno, G. 2004. Bosques, Matorrales, Praderas y Hongos. Conferencia en la Sociedad Micolgica de Madrid, disponible en lnea en http://www.socmicolmadrid.org/noti/ noticias31.html.

Texts: Alonso Verde y Jos Fajardo Drawings, picture of Lactarius: Jos Fajardo Picture of Hygrophorus: Josu Esteban Design: Miguel R. Brotons