Finding the missing link: Resolving the within .

Species belonging to the and parasitizing hosts were collected from different locations in South Africa and studied morphologically by light microscopy and molecularly by obtaining partial nrDNA (ITS-1/5.8S/ITS-2, 18S and 28S) gene sequences. The position of the within the was not confirmed and a new subclass, , was introduced. While usually form cleistothecia/gymnothecia with evanescent, unitunicate asci, and mostly perithecia with bitunicate/fissitunicate to evanescent asci, form pseudothecial mazaedial ascomata, initially with double-walled asci with the outer layer deliquescing, resulting in passive ascospore release. The thus occupies a unique position in the . Furthermore, epitypes were designated for , the type species of (type genus of the family, order and subclass), , the type species of , and the type species of , with and confirmed as belonging to the resolved into three clades, one on (= ) and , and two clades occurring on , herein described as and . . Morphologically these three species are not readily distinguishable, although they differ in spore dimensions, ascomata shape, ornamentation and DNA phylogeny. It is likely that several more species from other parts of the world are currently erroneously placed in .