Helotiales
Synonym: Moniliales
Clades: Leotiomycetes; Ascomycota; Fungi; Plants.
Members: 10 families, 501 genera, 3881 species.
Taxonomy
Helotiales is a Order in Leotiomycetes.
Moniliales is a Order in Deuteromycota.
Helotiales is the largest order of inoperculate discomycetes. It contains the famous blue-green cup fungi that makes its home on oaks is known by the genus name Chlorociboria.
Identification: distinguished by its disc or cup-shaped apothecia.
Asci: only slightly thickened in contrast to other Leotiomycetes
Live as saprobes on soil humus, dead logs, manure and other organic matter.
Ecology: engage in ericoid mycorrhiza; plant pathogens; Monilinia fructicola causes brown rot on stone fruits; Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes lettuce drop and other diseases; D rosae causes black spot of roses; Sclerotium cepivorum causes soft rot of onions; Botrytis cinerea.