Order Gyalectales is a small group of fungi within the class Lecanoromycetes, primarily consisting of lichen-forming species. Members of this order are characterized by their symbiotic association with photosynthetic partners, typically green algae, forming crustose or sometimes foliose lichens. They generally have simple fruiting bodies, called apothecia, which are often disc-shaped and embedded in the lichen thallus. Gyalectales species are found worldwide, frequently growing on bark, wood, or rocks, and they play important ecological roles in nutrient cycling and as pioneer organisms in colonizing bare substrates. The order is relatively obscure and specialized compared to other lichenized fungal groups.