Ceratostomataceae

Perithecia of Melanospora zamiae, photographed by George Barron.

Belongs within: Sordariales.

The Ceratostomataceae is a group of saprobic or weakly parasitic fungi often found growing on other fungi (Cannon & Kirk 2007).

Characters (from Cannon & Kirk 2007): Stromata absent. Ascomata perithecial or cleistothecial, usually translucent, yellow to pale brown, ostiolate or not, often long-necked and with smooth ostiolar setae. Interascal tissue absent. Asci clavate, thin-walled, without apical apparatus, deliquescing. Ascospores usually large, brown, usually 2-pored, non-septate, smooth to strongly ornamented, sheath absent. Anamorphs hyphomycetous.

Ceratostomataceae
    |--Arxiomyces EB03
    |--Erythrocarpon EB03
    |--Persiciospora EB03
    |--Pteridiosperma EB03
    |--Rhytidospora EB03
    |--Scopinella EB03
    |--Setiferotheca EB03
    |--Sphaerodes EB03
    |--Syspastospora EB03
    `--Melanospora EB03
         |--M. fallax HWB03
         `--M. zamiae HWB03

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

Cannon, P. F., & P. M. Kirk. 2007. Fungal Families of the World. CABI.

[EB03] Eriksson, O. E., H. O. Barah, R. S. Currah, K. Hansen, C. P. Kurtzman, G. Rambold & T. Laessøe (eds.) 2003. Outline of Ascomycota—2003. Myconet 9: 1-89.

[HWB03] Henk, D. A., A. Weir & M. Blackwell. 2003. Laboulbeniopsis termitarius, an ectoparasite of termites newly recognized as a member of the Laboulbeniomycetes. Mycologia 95 (4): 561-564.