Hyponectriaceae Petr., Annls mycol. 21(3/4): 305 (1923)

MycoBank number: MB 80898; Index Fungorum number: IF 80898; Facesoffungi number: FoF 01775; 229 species.

Saprobic or pathogenic on dead plant matter, in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Sexual morph: appearing as black, shiny spots on host surface or small black lines arising from cracks in bark. Pseudostromata present or lacking, if present, superficial, forming clypeus over the ascomata. Ascomata solitary or aggregated, immersed, erumpent or rarely somewhat superficial, globose to ovoid, upright or horizontal, brown to black. Papilla short, ostiolate, with or without periphyses. Peridium comprising two layers, outer layer of brown cells of textura angularis, inner layer of hyaline cells of textura angularis, in some genera cells are of textura globosa. Paraphyses sparse, septate, tapering towards the apex, often deliquescing at maturity. Asci 8-spored, unitunicate, oblong, cylindrical or ellipsoidal, short pedicellate, with a J+, or J-, apical ring. Ascospores overlapping biseriate, or fasciculate, hyaline, yellow to light brown, fusoid, isthmoid, elongate filiform, obovoid, or oblong, asymmetric or symmetric, unicellular or septate, smooth-walled or verruculose, with or without a mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Type genusHyponectria Sacc.

Notes – The most recent treatments and updated accounts of Hyponectriaceae were by Maharachchikumbura et al. (2016b) which we follow here. Most of the genera included in this family lack molecular data, but have characteristics typical of Hyponectria. This includes ascomata visible as tiny black spots on the leaf surface and J+, or J-, apical rings and unicellular ascospores. The family is therefore, likely to be a dustbin for numerous unrelated genera and is in need of fresh collections and sequence data.