Morphological and molecular perspectives on systematics of the Hypocreales

The ascomycetous order Hypocreales and its anamorphs include fungi of economic importance ranging from virulent plant pathogens to effective agents of biological control, and from producers of powerful antibiotics to the sources of potent mycotoxins. In the last twenty years progress toward understanding the systematics of the Hypocreales has been made primarily through descriptive accounts of species within the complexes centered around the genera Hypocrea, Hypomyces and Nectria. Through a reexamination of type specimens, the number of genera in the Hypocreales has been reduced from over 200 to about 80. Careful study of hypocrealean fungi has revealed relationships among species that are based on suites of correlated characters including those of the anamorph. These serve as the basis for newly revised generic concepts, particularly for those species previously classified as Nectria sensu late. Recent molecular studies have supported these generic concepts and presented new insights into traditional concepts of the order. Integration of teleomorphic-anamorphic taxa may be possible by combining results of morphological and molecular data.