Sub division Ascomycotina
Class Pyrenomycetes
Order sphaeriales
Most of the members of sphaeriales are saprophytes . Characteristic feature is that either they do not produce antheridia or if at all formed , they are non-functional . The fruiting body is usually flask shaped perithecium .
Family Sodariaceae
Perithecia are usually stomatous .
Neurosora
Sub division - Ascomycotina
Class - Pyrenomycetes
Order - Sphaeriales
Family - Sodariaceae
Neurospora are called drosophila of plant kingdom because it is useful in study mycology , genetics and biochemistry . N. sitophila is commonly known as bakery mold or red bread mold . Mycelium is well branched , multinucleate and septate . Asexual reproduction takes place by two types of conidia - macroconidia and microconidia . Sexual reproduction is normal ascomycotina type . Ascospores are dark and characteristically with ribbed wall .
Claviceps
Sub division - Ascomycotina
Class - Pyrenomycetes
Order - Sphaeriales
Family - Clavicipitaceae
Claviceps infects members of family poaceae , causing ergot disease ( C. purpurea causes ergot of rye ) . The fungus infects mostly the gynoecium of the host plant , which soon turns black due to accumulation of compact masses of fungal hyphae , called sclerotia or ergot grain . Sclerotia of Claviceps are called ergot . Hence they are also known as ergot fungi . Sclerotia of C. purpurea contain a number of toxic alkaloids , such as ergotamine , ergometrin and ergonovin which affects blood vessels and nervous system . Sclerotia of Claviceps are used to hasten or induce uterine contraction during child birth . LSD , a psycotic dug is obtained from C. purpurea .
Other species
Xylaria ( xylariaceae ) are parasites on woody plants causing white rye . Chaetomium thermophile ( melanosporaceae ) is a thermophilic and coprophilous fungus or cellulose degrading fungus . They are found on heaps of dung and compost manure , substances rich in cellulose . Thin long hairs or hairy appendages on the outer surface of perithecium is characteristic feature of chaetomium .