The fungi are among the least known of the major Australian biota. While the number of species likely to occur in Australia has been estimated to be as high as 250 000, only a small proportion have been formally described and fewer still can be considered well-known in terms of their distribution, ecology and general biology.The most conspicuous group, the macrofungi, comprise taxa across both the Basidiomycota and Ascomyctoa. The names for the estimated 3000 species in Australia are scattered through the literature leading to confusion and uncertainty. Moreover, many names currently in use are misapplied or synonyms. The last catalogue of the Australian macrofungi were produced over 100 years ago, and an up -to-date reassessment is long overdue.Volume 2A and its companion 2B will be essential in the preparation of modern taxonomic treatments of the Australian macrofungi. They provide a guide to the names that have been used in Australia for the mushroom, toadstools, bracket fungi, puffballs and other taxa with large conspicuous fruiting bodies.
For each name the catalogue provides place and date of publication, taxonomic synonyms, and a comprehensive list of all works in which the name has been used in an Australian context.The catalogue covers approximately 3200 accepted, synonymous and misapplied names in Agaricales, Boletales, Cantharellales, Gauteriales, Hymenogastrales, Melanogastrales, Phallales p.p, Podaxales, Russulales, Aphyllophorales p.p., and taxa associated with Eucalyptus outside of Australia.Volume 2B will be complete the catalogue with the balance of the Basidiomycata, and the Ascomycata.