Abstract:
Introduction The Pezizomycetes comprise a single order, Pezizales, with > 22 families currently recognized. Along with the Orbiliomycetes, the class represents one of the basal lineages among the filamentous Ascomycota (Shen et al., 2020). The class is thought to have originated between 400 and 540 mya (Beimforde et al., 2014; Martin et al., 2010; Murat et al., 2018). The full diversity of the order has yet to be completely documented since previously undetected lineages continue to be found through application of molecular methods. There are approximately 200 genera and perhaps 2000 species. Ascomata are epigeous (above ground), or hypogeous (below ground). The truffles of commerce belong to this latter group. The epigeous ascomata are apotl1ecial, deistothecial or are highly reduced. The reduced forms are composed of only a few asci in dusters on vegetative hyphae with little or no sterile supporting tissue ( excipulum). In the ep,lppigeous lineages, ascospores are generally forcibly released by an opening at the ascus apex resulting in the formation of an operculum, or lid. Hypogeous members occur in several of the families. There are at least 30 independent origins of truffle-like members (Alvarado et al., 2011, 2016; Cabera et al., 2016; Grupe et al., 2019; llansen et al., 2013; Kraisitudomsook et al., 2019; Kumar et al., 2017; Laessoe and Hansen, 2007; Smith, 2014; Smith and Healy, 2009; Trappe et al., 2010)
