Hysteriaceae

The Hysteriaceae are a taxonomic family of fungi and the only extant family of the order Hysteriales. Members of the Hysteriaceae are defined by the possession of a sexual structure called the hysterothecium, an elongated structure that opens by a longitudinal slit and releases sexually produced spores. The family is widely distributed, with many species found in temperate regions, and most are saprobic on wood and bark, although a few are parasitic on plants.