Helotiales

Helotiales is the largest order of non-stromatic discomycetes that usually, but not always, have brightly coloured apothecia. Many members of the family have obviously cup-shaped ascomata with little or no stipes. They are usually found fruiting on coarse or large wood debris as well as on other organic matter. Part of these discomycetes are limited to a specific host range, this goes as far as to not just being limited to one particular plant, additionally some species need a particular part of that plant.

Description

• Helotiales is distinguished by its disc or cup-shaped apothecia.
• Its asci are only slightly thickened in contrast to other Leotiomycetes
• Most Helotiales species live as saprobes on soil humus, dead logs, manure and other organic matter.
• The order includes most fungi that engage in ericoid mycorrhiza, including Rhizoscyphus ericae, Meliniomyces species and Cairneyella variabilis.
• The order contains some of the most severe plant pathogens such as Monilinia fructicola (brown rot on stone fruits), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (lettuce drop and other diseases), Diplocarpon rosae (black spot of roses), Sclerotium cepivorum (soft rot of onions) and Botrytis cinerea.