Character and character state selection were based on taxonomic
descriptions in monographs of the Ustilaginomycotina
(Vánky 1994, 2012, Vánky & Shivas 2008) and from direct
observation of 61 Australian species. Columellae were scored
as either absent, stout or filiform. Spore states were classified
as single spores, permanent spore balls, ephemeral spore
balls or dimorphic spores. Sterile cells were scored as present
or absent. The peridium was classified as either host derived,
hypertrophied-host derived or fungal derived. These characters
were mapped onto the final tree topology using MacClade v.
4.08 (Maddison & Maddison 2001).