Gomphillaceae

The Gomphillaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi in the order Graphidales. They occur mainly in tropical regions, where many species are adapted to humid rainforests and grow directly on leaves rather than on bark or rock. The family contains about 46 genera and more than 800 species, although the true total may be higher because genetic work has revealed extensive cryptic diversity. Many members reproduce using specialised structures and produce few or none of the lichen products that are typical of other lichen groups. A major molecular phylogenetics-led reorganisation in 2023 formalised this revised classification, recognising and establishing 17 genera as new or reinstated.