Perisporiaceae

a family of ascomycetous fungi of the group Pyrenomycetes. The brown mycelium is embedded in its substrate and has small hyphae, or hyphopodia, that attach it to the surface of the substrate and absorb nutritive matter. The fruiting body is equipped with a stoma. In contrast to Erysi-phales, with which they are sometimes united in a single order, Perisporiaceae lack appendages on the fruiting body. The spores are usually pigmented, and, as a rule, there are both longitudinal and transverse septa. There are approximately 50 genera of Perisporiaceae, embracing 2,000 species. Many are obligate parasites of tropical plants and cause leaf smut. The most characteristic species are of the genera Amazonia, Asteridiella, Irenopsis, and Meliola. The family is often classified in the order Meliolales.