Leotiomycetes

Taxobox
name = Leotiomycetes

---

regnum = Fungi
divisio = Ascomycota
subdivisio = Pezizomycotina
classis = Leotiomycetes
classis_authority = Eriksson & Winka, 1997
subdivision_ranks = Orders
subdivision = ::Capnodiales::Cyttariales::Erysiphales::Gyalectales::Helotiales::Rhytismatales::Thelebolales

Leotiomycetes are a class of ascomycete fungi. Many of them cause serious plant diseases.

ystematics

The class "Leotiomycetes" contains numerous species with an anamorph placed within the "fungi imperfecti" (deuteromycota), that have only recently found their place in the phylogenetic system. The older classifications placed "Leotiomycetes" into the "Discomycetes" clade (inoperculate Discomycetes). Molecular studies have recently shed some new light to the still obscure systematics. Most scholars consider Leotiomycetes a sister taxon to "Sordariomycetes" in the phylogenetic tree of "Pezizomycotina". Its division into subclasses have received strong support by the molecular data, but the overall monophyly of "Leotiomycetes" is dubious.

Characteristics

*Most "Leotiomycetes" grow their asci in apothecia (seldom cleistothecia). The asci are cylindrical, without operculum.

*The spores are hyaline, of various shapes, and are released through an apical circular pore.

External Links

* [http://tolweb.org/Leotiomycetes/29048 Tree of Life: Leotiomycetes]