The genus Colletotrichum is widely distributed, mainly in regions tropical and subtropical, however, some species are adapted to temperate regions. Based on the perception of its scientific and economic importance, Colletotrichum spp. is among the most important phytopathogenic fungi in the world. Its importance is given, mainly, for causing symptoms of anthracnose in several species of plants, mainly affecting the production of fruits of high value crops in the market, such as: strawberry, mango, citrus, avocado and banana, and crops of grains, such as: beans, soybeans, sorghum and corn. This work gathered some of the main information published until 2022, mainly on the taxonomy of the genus Colletotrichum, in a chronological line of the main events from the 18th to the 21st centuries, with the objective of describing its morphology, geographic distribution, pathology, style of life, genetics and phylogeny, aiming to subsidize complementary studies of the genus