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Ascomycetes (Cup and Flask Fungi) Gallery

The Ascomycetes - the cup fungi and flask fungi - is the largest fungal class of all, containing 230 families and more than 3000 genera. Over 400,000 species are known to exist, but the unknown part of this class of the fungal kingdom could be much greater.

Of particular interest are the orders Pezizales, which Tuberales, which includes the morels (Morchella esculenta is a fairly common species), which are greatly prized as edible mushrooms but must always be cooked before eating, and their deadly imposters the false morels (Gyromitra esculenta).

The Ascomycotina (usually referred to as Ascomycetes) comprises a great many and tremendously varied forms of fungi. Many are so small that it is impossible to study them without a microscope, and so in this Guide attention is focused only on the larger forms, most of which come within the orders Pezizales, Helotiales and Sphaeriales.

Pezizales

These are mainly cup fungi with the spore-bearing surface (the hymenium) on the inside of the cup, although with Morels the cup is, in effect, inside out and perched on a stem.

There are some 350 European species in this order.

Aleuria aurantia
Aleuria
aurantia

Helotiales

In this group there are mainly very small, disc-like fungi; however, two of the larger species, Bulgaria inquinans and Chlorociboria aeruginascens, are quite frequently encountered.

More than 100 European species from this order are known.

Chlorociboria aeruginascens
Chlorociboria
aeruginascens

Sphaeriales

This large order, with some 750 European species identified, is very varied in size, shape and colour.

Hypoxylon polymorpha
Hypoxylon
polymorpha

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