Fungalpedia – Note 2948, Leptosphaerioidaceae
Leptosphaerioidaceae J.F. Zhang, Jian K. Liu & K.D. Hyde.
Citation when using this data: Zhang JF et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Pleosporaceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Saprobic on dead branch of unidentified woody plant. Sexual morph: Ascomata semi-immersed to superficial, black, scattered, or gregarious, globose to subglobose. Ostiole central, broadly papillate. Peridium composed of several layers of scleroplectenchymatous cells, normally arranged in a textura angularius. Hamathecium comprising numerous, non-septate, branched pseudoparaphyses, anastomosing between and above the asci, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci bitunicate, fissitunicate, broadly cylindrical to clavate, with a furcate pedicel, apically rounded to truncate, with an ocular chamber. Ascospores fusiform, hyaline, bi- to tri-seriate, septate, with or without mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morph: Undetermined.
Notes: Leptosphaerioidaceae is typical of Pleosporales in having perithecioid ascomata with bitunicate, fissitunicate asci and mostly septate ascospores. This family close resembles Leptosphaeriaceae by its semi-immersed to superficial, globose to subglobose ascomata with a broad papilla in face view, cylindrical to clavate, furcate asci, and fusoid, septate ascospores. However, the ascospores of most taxa in Leptosphaeriaceae are multi-septate and pigmented, while the new family Leptosphaerioidaceae has asymmetrical, 1-septate, hyaline ascospores. Phylogenetically, Leptosphaerioidaceae forms an independent clade and distant from Leptosphaeriaceae (Zhang JF et al. 2023). Based on the above evidence, Leptosphaerioidaceae is introduced as a new family to accommodate the type genus Leptosphaerioides.
Type genus: Leptosphaerioides Jin F. Zhang, Jian K. Liu & K.D. Hyde.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Leptosphaerioidaceae.
References
Entry by
Jinfeng Zhang, Guizhou Provincial Institute of Tea, Guiyang 550006, People’s Republic of China, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, People’s Republic of China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
Published online 14 August 2026