Sordariomycetes

Sordariomycetes is a class of the subdivision, Pezizomycotina, which includes ascomycetous fungi.

Sordariomycetes generally produce their asci in perithecial fruiting bodies.

Sordariomycetes are also known as Pyrenomycetes for their nature of appearing after a fire passes through the forest.

Sordariomycetes possesses great variability in morphology, growth form and habitat. Except having perithecial (flask-shaped) fruiting bodies, ascomata can be less frequently cleistothecial (e.g. Anixiella, Apodus, Boothiella, Thielavia, Zopfiella) (Lundqvist 1972; Arx 1975), fruiting bodies may be solitary or gregarious, superficial or immersed within stromata or tissues of the substrates and can be light to bright or black. Members of this group can grow in soil, dung, leaf litter, and decaying wood as decomposers, as well as being fungal parasites, and insect, human and plant pathogens (Spatafora and Blackwell 1993; Neuveglise et al. 1994; Berbee and Taylor 1992).