Darksidea is a genus of fungi belonging to the ascomycetes, in the order Pleosporales. It was described in 2015 by D.G. Knapp, Kovács, J.Z. Groenew. & Crous. Like many other members of the ascomycetes, they are dark septate endophytes, who colonize epidermal, intra- and inter-cellular root tissue, nearly always found upon grass species in arid or semiarid climates.[1] [2]
The name "Darksidea" is not only inspired by the unique coloration of its hyphae, but is also a reference to its membership within the dark septate endophytes, being "on the dark side" of this mysterious and confounding form-group of root-associated fungi.[2]