Meliniomycetales

Meliniomycetales is an order of fungi within the Basidiomycota. It represents a small and poorly understood lineage that molecular phylogenetic studies have recovered as distinct from other basidiomycete groups. The order is commonly placed in the class Exobasidiomycetes, with ongoing revisions to its precise relationships to related orders as new sequence data become available.

Most described members are plant-associated, occurring as endophytes or minor pathogens on leaves or stems of angiosperms and woody hosts. The group has been reported from temperate regions worldwide, though overall species diversity appears limited and many taxa are known from only a handful of collections.

As basidiomycetous fungi, Meliniomycetales species are described as producing basidia and basidiospores, but detailed descriptions are sparse because few isolates have been studied under culture. The life cycles and ecological roles of many members remain poorly documented, contributing to gaps in understanding their biology and impact on host plants.

Taxonomic status within Basidiomycota has been influenced by molecular data, and the circumscription of Meliniomycetales has shifted as analyses have clarified relationships among related groups. Consequently, genera and species assigned to the order may be moved in future updates as new phylogenetic information becomes available.