Physciaceae

The Physciaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi belonging to the class Lecanoromycetes in the division Ascomycota. A 2016 estimate placed 19 genera and 601 species in the family.

Description
The Physiaceae family includes various growth forms such as foliose, fruticose,, stipitate, crustose, and even evanescent types (where certain parts, such as basal squamules, become less noticeable or disappear over time as other structures develop). Some members of this family may also be lichenicolous, meaning they grow on other lichens. These lichens can exhibit features such as, isidia, and soredia, or may lack them entirely.

The upper of Physiaceae lichens can be, , or absent. Their photobiont, or the symbiotic algae living within the lichen, is typically a unicellular green alga from the genus Trebouxia, with a diameter ranging from 5 to 20 μm. The medulla can vary from poorly to well-developed or may even be absent, and it often contains lichen substances. The lower cortex can be prosoplectenchymatous, paraplectenchymatous, or absent, with the lower surface either possessing or lacking rhizines. A prothallus may be present or absent.

Physiaceae lichens produce ascomata, which can be either apothecia or. Their apothecia can be immersed, sessile, or short-stalked, with a more or less distinct exciple. The, when present, is generally round and ranges from flat to convex, displaying colours from brown to dark reddish-brown or black. A may or may not be present, while the  can be thin and weakly pigmented or well-developed and darkly pigmented.

The can be brown-black, brown, or green, while the hymenium is colourless or partly green, with or without oil droplets. The can vary in colour from colourless to yellow-brown, brown, or dark brown. are simple or sparingly branched in the uppermost part, with thickened apices often capped by a brown-pigmented layer. The asci are, typically with 8 spores (but sometimes as few as 2 or as many as 16) and a well-developed amyloid , a paler conical axial mass, and an ocular chamber.

in the Physiaceae family have a single septum, olive to brown in colour, and ellipsoidal in shape, often displaying uneven wall thickenings. The conidiomata are, either immersed or superficial. can be formed acrogenously or pleurogenously, and they can be ellipsoidal,, , or.

Genera
This is a list of the genera contained within the Physciaceae, based on a 2020 review and summary of ascomycete classification; as wel as several genera that have been circumscribed or resurrected since then. Following the genus name is the taxonomic authority, year of publication, and the number of species:
 * Anaptychia – about 15 spp.
 * Awasthia  – 1 sp.
 * Coscinocladium – 2 spp.
 * Helmutiopsis – 3 spp.
 * Heterodermia – about 90 spp.
 * Huriopsis – 7 spp.
 * Hyperphyscia – 9 spp.
 * Johnsheardia – 5 spp.
 * Kashiwadia – 1 sp.
 * Klauskalbia – 4 spp.
 * Kudratovia – 8 spp.
 * Kurokawia – 7 spp.
 * Leucodermia – 10 spp.
 * Mischoblastia – 3 spp.
 * Mobergia – 1 sp.
 * Oxnerella – 1 spp.
 * Phaeophyscia – 66 spp.
 * Phaeorrhiza – 2 spp.
 * Physcia – about 80 spp.
 * Physciella – 4 spp.
 * Physconia – about 25 spp.
 * Polyblastidium – 18 spp.
 * Rinodina  – about 300 spp
 * Rinodinella  – 6 spp.
 * Tornabea – 1 spp.

The genus Culbersonia, previously classified in the Physciaceae due to its morphological features, has been shown with molecular phylogenetics to belong to the Caliciaceae.