Pyrenula

Pyrenula is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pyrenulaceae. The genus has a widespread distribution, especially in tropical regions, and contains about 200 species. Most species grow on bark in moist, shaded habitats, especially in tropical regions. They usually form thin crusts on the surface and produce small black spore-bearing structures that are partly embedded in the lichen body. Research has shown that some species names in Pyrenula were once applied too broadly, and that the boundaries of the genus itself may still need refinement.