INOPERCULATE DISCOMYCETES : ascus unitunicate and inoperculate. three orders: Helotiales; Phacidiales; Ostropales.

• Helotiales: ascocarp epigeous, an apothecium, not imbedded in host tissue; ascus inoperculate, unitunicate, and with an amyloid apical sphincter; families dermeataceae, helotiaceae, hyaloscyphaceae, geoglossaceae, sclerotiniaceae
  • Dermeataceae: similar to the Helotiaceae except this family has dark hyphae on the walls of the ascocarp.

Mollisia: Our most common wood inhabiting inoperculate discomycete. Very common the undersides of twigs, branches and logs which are in a moist environment. See pg. 221 of the swiss ascomycete book (Tapesia fusca is similar but differs by the apothecia borne in a dark-colored subiculum) for the ascocarp, ascus and ascospores.

classification system (places icons into orders)

index to genera/species