Most species are known only from their yeast states and can be found in a variety of habitats, ranging from arctic waters to tropical ferns.

The order was described in 2013 based on evidence from DNA sequence data that showed that a newly discovered neotropical yeast, Meredithblackwellia eburnea, was closely related to several species in the genera Kriegeria, Camptobasidium and Glaciozyma.

Of these, K. eriophori also has an asexual yeast state,[3] leaving C. hydrophilum as the only species in the order that is hyphal throughout its life cycle.

The members known to date include plant parasites (Kriegeria eriophori), aquatic fungi (Camptobasidium hydrophilum), saprobes, or have unknown roles in nature.

[10] Others have been isolated from the leaf surfaces of various plants both from temperate and tropical regions; their role in these habitats is unknown.