The Clavicipitaceae are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

within the order

Hypocreales The Hypocreales are an order of fungi within the class Sordariomycetes. In 2008, it was estimated that it contained some 237 genera, and 2647 species in seven families. Since then, a considerable number of further taxa have been identified, in ...

. A 2008 estimate placed 43

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

in the family, but a study in 2020 has increased this number to 50.

Phylogeny

Molecular

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates the

taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and ...

Clavicipitaceae (as circumscribed by 2007) is

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

, and consists of three well-defined

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

s, at least one of which is shared with members of another fungal family ( Hypocreaceae). The most recent common ancestor of the three clades also include Hypocreaceae as a descendant. The issue seems to have been resolved in Sung ''et al.'' (2007b). Clavicipitaceae becomes restricted to "clade A". Cordycipitaceae is resurrected to hold "clade C".

Ophiocordycipitaceae Ophiocordycipitaceae is a family (biology), family of parasite, parasitic fungus, fungi in the phylum Ascomycota, class Sordariomycetes. It was created in 2007 to resolve the paraphyly of Calvicipitaceae. It was updated in 2020. Genera As accept ...

is created to hold "clade B".

Evolution

The evolution within the Clavicipitaceae (as circumscribed by 2007) 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. This situation has since been corrected

Significance

Many of its members produce

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

s toxic to animals and humans. One of its most infamous species is ''

Claviceps purpurea ''Claviceps purpurea'' is an ergot fungus that grows on the ear (botany), ears of rye and related cereal and forage plants. Consumption of Cereal, grains or seeds contaminated with the survival structure of this fungus, the ergot sclerotium, can ...

'', which has historical significance as the cause of St. Anthony's fire, also known as

ergotism Ergotism (pron. ) is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, traditionally due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the '' Claviceps purpurea'' fungus—from the Latin "club" or clavus "nail" and for "head", i.e. the purple club-h ...

. Ergotism is caused by

ergot alkaloids Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungus, fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is ''Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids ...

, such as

ergotamine Ergotamine, sold under the brand name Ergomar among others, is an ergopeptine and part of the ergot family of alkaloids; it is structurally and biochemically closely related to ergoline. It is structurally similar to several neurotransmitter ...

and ergocristine, which are chemical derivatives of lysergic acid. ''

Metarhizium ''Metarhizium'' is a genus (biology), genus of entomopathogenic fungus, entomopathogenic fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be ...

'' species are widely used in the

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

of insect pests.

Genera

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. As of November 2024, the following genera are placed in the family Clavicipitaceae: * ''

Aciculosporium ''Aciculosporium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. Species of this genus cause witches' broom of bamboo in East Asia. ''Aciculosporium take'' grows intercellularly in witches' broom shoots, including shoot apical meristems. The ...

'' * ''

Allocordyceps ''Allocordyceps'' is an extinct genus of parasitic fungus in the order Hypocreales that parasitized carpenter ants. The fossil of ''Allocordyceps baltica'', from the Baltic Amber, represents the oldest known fossil of an ant-parasitizing fungus b ...

'' * ''

Aschersonia ''Aschersonia'' is a genus of fungi in the order Hypocreales and family Clavicipitaceae. The genus name was erected in honour of Paul Friedrich August Ascherson (1834–1913), a German botanist. Species in this genus include entomopathogenic ...

'' - Sung clade A2 * ''

Atkinsonella ''Atkinsonella'' is a genus of fungi within the Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family (biology), family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genus, genera in the family, but a study in 2020 has increased ...

'' * ''

Balansia ''Balansia'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family (biology), family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genus, genera in the family, but a study in 2020 has increased t ...

'' - Sung clade A1 * ''

Balansiopsis ''Balansiopsis'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring ...

'' * ''

Berkelella ''Berkelella'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae . Species As accepted by Species Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (Binomial nomenclature, scientific names) in the fungus Kin ...

'' * ''

Cavimalum ''Cavimalum'' is a genus of fungi within the Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family (biology), family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genus, genera in the family, but a study in 2020 has increased thi ...

'' * ''

Claviceps Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is '' Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that c ...

'' - Sung clade A1 * '' Commelinaceomyces'' * '' Conoideocrella'' * '' Corallocytostroma'' * '' Drechmeria'' * '' Dussiella'' * '' Ephelis'' * '' Epichloe'' * '' Epicrea'' - Sung clade A1 * '' Harposporium'' * '' Helicocollum'' * '' Helminthascus'' * '' Heteroepichloe'' * '' Hypocrella'' - Sung clade A2 * '' Keithomyces'' * '' Konradia'' * '' Linearistroma'' * '' Loculistroma'' * '' Marquandomyces'' * ''

Metacordyceps ''Metacordyceps'' is a genus of fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushroom ...

'' * '' Metapochonia'' * '' Metarhiziopsis'' * ''

'' - Sung clade A3 * '' Moelleriella'' * '' Morakotia'' * '' Mycomalus'' * '' Mycophilomyces'' * '' Myriogenospora'' * '' Neoaraneomyces'' * '' Neobarya'' * '' Neocordyceps'' * '' Nigelia'' * '' Nigrocornus'' * '' Orbiocrella'' * †'' Palaeoclaviceps'' * '' Parametarhizium'' * '' Parepichloe'' * '' Petchia'' * '' Pochonia'' * '' Polynema'' * '' Pseudomeria'' * '' Pseudometarhizium'' * '' Purpureomyces'' * '' Regiocrella'' * '' Romanoa'' * '' Rotiferophthora'' * '' Samuelsia'' * '' Shimizuomyces'' - Sung clade A4 * '' Sphaerocordyceps'' * '' Stereocrea'' * '' Sungia'' * '' Tyrannicordyceps'' * '' Ustilaginoidea'' * '' Yosiokobayasia''

Nomenclatural note

As of April 2025,

MycoBank MycoBank is an online database, documenting new mycological names and combinations, eventually combined with descriptions and illustrations. It is run by the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute in Utrecht. Each novelty, after being screene ...

holds the unusual opinion that

Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family (biology), family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genus, genera in the family, but a study in 2020 has increased this number to 50. Phylogeny Molecular phylogeny, phylogenetic ana ...

should be synonymized to Clavicipiteae , a subfamily under Hypocreaceae. This does not match the phylogenetic tree and reassignment of Sung.

References

Other sources

*C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., ''Introductory Mycology, 4th ed.'' (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004)

External links

* * {{Authority control Ascomycota families Taxa named by Gustav Lindau Natural sources of lysergamides