The Amphisphaeriales as an order, was then treated as a synonym ofXylariales, just one year later (by authors Eriksson & Hawksworth, 1987).[3] This classification was followed by subsequent authors and later supported by molecular data (Hawksworth et al. 1995).[4] The order was then resurrected by Senanayake et al. (in 2015),[5] to includeAmphisphaeriaceae,Clypeosphaeriaceae and another four novel families derived fromAmphisphaeriaceae (Bartaliniaceae,Discosiaceae,Pestalotiopsidaceae andPhlogicylindriaceae). These later 4 families were then synonymised by Jaklitsch et al. (in 2016). An older family name ofSporocadaceae was reestablished to accommodate them instead (Crous et al. 2015).[6] Together with the 'Amphisphaeriaceae and 'Phlogicylindriaceae, the family ofSporocadaceae was then accommodated in the Xylariales order. As the Amphisphaeriales was not accepted due to a lack of phylogenetic support in their DNA analysis (Jaklitsch et al. 2016).[7]
DNA analysis in 2018 confirmed the placement of the order and subclass, it was a sister to the Xylariales order.[8][9]
Based on previous studies, Wijayawardene et al. (2018a) accepted 11 families in Amphisphaeriales.[10]Then in 2020, more families (and genera) were added to the order.[2]
Generally, they haveparaphyses that are dispersed among theasci and tapering from base to the tip, or abundant and branching to form a reticulum. They are often covered ingelatin. A lot of genera within the order haveperithecia which are immersed in host tissue, with or without a clypeus. The asci are formed in ahymenium and have amyloid ascal apices and apical rings.Ascospores have variable shapes and variable numbers of septa, but most are hyaline, but pigmented ascospores are also known.Conidiogenesis tends to be holoblastic and then conidia are formed on denticles.Conidiophores are solitary or united intoacervuli and are classified in genera such asNodulisporium,Selenosporella,Microdochium andPestalotiopsis.[11]
The fungi are found in a range of habitats, some arebiotrophic on higher plants and others aresaprophytic on forest detritus.[11]
The Amphisphaeriales includes fungi that have been included in the Xylariales order and also theDiatrypales order.[11]
