Spongoides Q. Y. Zhang 2026, gen. nov.

Spongoides Q. Y. Zhang gen. nov. Etymology. Spongoides (Lat.): derived from the Latin spongos (sponge) and the suffix-eides (resembling), referring to the spongy texture of the basidiomata. Type species. Spongoides fissurata Q. Y. Zhang, sp. nov. Description. Basidiomata annual, resupinate, effused, closely adnate, inseparable from substrate, thick, spongy. Hymenophore smooth, with wrinkles or cracks, white to cream; margin thinning out or abrupt, adnate. Hyphal system monomitic; generative hyphae clamped, colorless, thin walled, frequently branched, septate. Hymenium two kinds of cystidia, tapering or bottled, colorless, thin-walled. Basidia cylindrical, with a basal clamp connection and four sterigmata, filled with refractive oil-like matter. Basidiospores cylindrical or ellipsoid with an apiculus, colorless, thin-walled, smooth, IKI –, CB –, with oily contents. Notes. Building upon the well-established taxonomic framework of Hymenochaetales (Liu et al. 2024; Ma et al. 2025), our phylogeny confirms that Spongoides belongs to the order but is distinct from all known families and genera (Fig. 1). The family position of this genus needs to be further clarified. Spongoides seems to be morphologically related to members of Schizocorticiaceae L. W. Zhou & Xue W. Wang; however, Spongoides is distinct by the spongy basidiomata and the absence of tubular with obtuse apex leptocystidia. Given the phylogenetic distance and absence of key morphological characteristics possessed by the other genera in Hymenochaetales, we propose the establishment of Spongoides as a novel genus within incertae sedis of Hymenochaetales, with Spongoides fissurata as its generic type.