Archaeorhizomycetes

thumb | right | alt=Black and white scan of fungi with small pea-like nodules and stringy material | Archaeorhizomycetes under electron microscope Archaeorhizomycetes is a class of fungi in the subdivision Taphrinomycotina of the Ascomycota. So far, the class has only one described order, Archaeorhizomycetales, family, Archaeorhizomycetaceae, and genus, Archaeorhizomyces. The class was first described by a team led by Anna Rosling in 2011. Species in the class are globally distributed, and grow in soil and around roots. Specific known host trees of various Archaeorhizomyces species include hemlock, spruce, pine and heather, but other species colonise hardwoods generally.

The precise ecological role of the taxa is uncertain. While originally found to be seasonal, suggesting it was dependent on carbon compounds from the roots, when grown in culture, Archaeorhizomyces finlayi, was shown to be able to grow using either glucose or cellulose as its sole source of carbon, suggesting "that it may be involved in decomposition and not require direct carbon transfer from the plant through symbiosis". While the ecological role is not yet clear, preliminary tests suggest that the fungus is neither a pathogen nor an ectomycorrhizal symbiont.