Studies on the amphisphaeriales I. The Clypeosphaeriaceae

The Clypeosphaeriaceae is retained to include sixteen genera, Apioclypea, Ceratostomella, Clypeophysalospora, Clypeosphaeria, Crassoascus, Jobellisia, Oxydothis and Urosporella are described and illustrated, while Apiorhynchostoma, Brunneiapiospora, Capsulospora, Duradens, Frondispora, Leiosphaerella, Pseudovalsaria and Stereosphaeria are discussed. Genera in the Clypeosphaeriaceae are distinguished from those in the Amphisphaeriaceae (sensu stricto). Their ascomata are immersed and typically clypeate. Asci are 8-spored, unitunicate, cylindrical, with a J + or J -, apical ring. Ascospores are usually ellipsoidal or cylindrical, brown or hyaline, unicellular, pseudoseptate or septate, at times with appendages or germ pores. The Clypeosphaeriaceae is considered a member of the Amphisphaeriales and the differences between the Clypeosphaeriaceae and Amphisphaeriaceae are discussed. We are unsure if the Clypeosphaeriaceae as we define it is monophyletic.