NAME Sphaerites
AGE    AGE span:  mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Ascomycetes, Xylariales?
FIGURE(S)
FIGURE REFERENCE
SPECIES, AUTHORITY Sphaerites Unger 1850, p. 37.
LOCATION
ORIG DESCRIPTION* ORIGINAL DIAGNOSIS: Perithecium or receptacle developed as a whole sphere, at the top perforated by an ostiole. [Jansonius & Hills (1977), card no. 3405.]
COMMENTS*
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Unger F. 1850. Genera et species plantarum fossilium; Sumptibus Academiae Caesareae Scientiarum, Vindobonae, p. 37.

Jansonius J, Hills LV. 1977. Genera file of fossil spores - supplement 2; Special Publication, Department of Geology, University of Calgary, cards 3288-3431.
K&J REMARKS Two species were described in equally brief terms (S. punctiformis, S. disciformis); no illustrations were given. Found on fossil leaves. [Jansonius & Hills (1977), card no. 3405.] The descriptions of the two species were too simple to classify these forms; the fossil name Sphaerites suggests that they were probably like the modern genus Sphaeria, the name formerly used for most fungi with either perithecia or pycnidia. [Hawksworth et al. 1983.]
TYPE TYPE: none designated.
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Sphaerites;
SERIAL NUMBER 1577
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.