The Clavicipitaceae are a
family of
fungi within the order
Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43
genera in the family,[1] but a study in 2020 has increased this number to 50.[2]
Phylogeny
Molecular
phylogenetic analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates the
taxon Clavicipitaceae is
paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined
clades, at least one of which is shared with members of another fungal family (
Hypocreaceae).[3] The evolution within the Clavicipitaceae is marked by interkingdom host jumping, and the range of this large and heterogeneous fungal group spans mutualistic plant symbionts, as well as parasites of plants, insects, and other fungi.[4]
Several genera, especially those previously described as "
anamorphic" (having no known sexual cycle) are now re-classified into other families, in light of current molecular and other evidence. Mycobank currently (July 2018) lists the following genera in this family.[6] With additions (including no. of species) from Wijayawardene et al. 2020.[2]
^Sung GH, Sung JM, Hywel-Jones NL, Spatafora JW (September 2007). "A multi-gene phylogeny of Clavicipitaceae (Ascomycota, Fungi): identification of localized incongruence using a combinational bootstrap approach". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 44 (3): 1204–23.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2007.03.011.
PMID17555990.
^Spatafora JW, Sung GH, Sung JM, Hywel-Jones NL, White JF Jr (2007). "Phylogenetic evidence for an animal pathogen origin of ergot and the grass endophytes". Mol. Ecol. 16 (8): 1701–1711.
doi:
10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03225.x.
PMID17402984.