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
  • Helotiaceae: ascocarps variable in shape but without hairs on the surface and not buried in wood; ascospores not filiform; ascocarps without dark hyphae in the wall. A most common family of inoperculate discomycetes; many of the small ascocarps collected on wood belong to this family.

Calycella (Helotium, Bisporella) citrina. A common fungus in our area it grows on conifer wood. See pg. 160 of swiss ascomycete book for the ascocarp, ascus and ascospores.

Coryne sarcodes. Common on the ends of logs; often looks like a purple, jelly fungus.

classification system (places icons into orders)

index to genera/species