The order Helotiales is a diverse group of fungi within the class Leotiomycetes of the phylum Ascomycota. Members of this order are primarily saprotrophic, decomposing plant material, though some are plant pathogens or form symbiotic relationships such as endophytes. They are characterized by producing apothecia, which are typically cup- or disc-shaped fruiting bodies that bear the sexual spores (ascospores) on their surface. Helotiales exhibit a wide range of ecological roles, from nutrient recycling in forests to causing diseases in crops and ornamental plants. Morphologically and genetically diverse, this order includes many genera with significant ecological and economic importance.