The order Auriculariales is a group of fungi within the class Agaricomycetes known for their jelly-like or leathery fruiting bodies. Members of this order are mostly saprotrophic, decomposing dead wood and contributing to nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. They are characterized by their basidia, which are typically longitudinally septate, and by producing basidiospores that are smooth or ornamented. The fruiting bodies often have an ear-like or gelatinous texture, as seen in the well-known genus Auricularia, which includes species like the wood ear mushroom. Auriculariales are ecologically significant as decomposers and have economic importance, with some species used as food or in traditional medicine.