PYRENOMYCETIDAE (or Hymenomycetidae--the Pyrenomycetes): asci borne in a layer; ascocarp a cleistothecium or a perithecium; contains Chaetomiales, Clavicipitales, Coronophorales, Diaportheales, Erysiphales, Hypocreales, Phyllachorales, Sordariales, and Xylariales

• Xylariales: ascocarps perithecia or cleistothecia, persistent, dark, leathery or carbonous; ascus unitunicate and in a hymenium; strom present or absent. Two families: Xylariaceae, Diatrypaceae
  • Xylariaceae: ascus apex amyloid; ascospores typically dark colored and with a slit, elliptical in shape; stroma typically present.

Xylaria hypoxylon. Perithecia are borne over the apical portion of a black stroma. The stroma is branched and the perithecia appear as bumps over the surface of the stroma.

whitish areas= imperfect stage.	black ascoma imbedded in ascostroma periphery

phaeoamerospores, uniseriate; ascus inoperculate

Daldinia. Large, oval stroma with the perithecia borned on the periphery.of stroma. Observe the concentric rings on the prepared slide. What do these mean? This fungus is a very common fungus on hardwood trunks in our area.

Hypoxylon: Irregularly shaped stroma found superficial on hardwood.

classification system (places icons into orders)

index to genera/species