ascomycetes

Ascomycetes
    n 1: large class of higher fungi coextensive with division
         Ascomycota: sac fungi [syn: {Ascomycetes}, {class
         Ascomycetes}]
    

Fungi \Fun"gi\ (f[u^]n"j[imac]), n. pl.; sing. {fungus}. (Biol.)
   A group of thallophytic plant-like organisms of low
   organization, destitute of chlorophyll, in which reproduction
   is mainly accomplished by means of asexual spores, which are
   produced in a great variety of ways, though sexual
   reproduction is known to occur in certain {Phycomycetes}, or
   so-called algal fungi. They include the molds, mildews,
   rusts, smuts, mushrooms, toadstools, puff balls, and the
   allies of each. In the two-kingdom classification system they
   were classed with the plants, but in the modern five-kingdom
   classification, they are not classed as plants, but are
   classed in their own separate kingdom fungi, which includes
   the phyla Zygomycota (including simple fungi such as bread
   molds), Ascomycota (including the yeasts), Basidiomycota
   (including the mushrooms, smuts, and rusts), and
   Deuteromycota (the {fungi imperfecti}). Some of the forms,
   such as the yeasts, appear as single-celled microorganisms,
   but all of the fungi are are eukaryotic, thus distinguishing
   them from the prokaryotic microorganisms of the kingdon
   Monera.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

   Note: The Fungi appear to have originated by degeneration
         from various alg[ae], losing their chlorophyll on
         assuming a parasitic or saprophytic life. In an earlier
         classification they were divided into the subclasses
         {Phycomycetes}, the lower or algal fungi; the
         {Mesomycetes}, or intermediate fungi; and the
         {Mycomycetes}, or the higher fungi; by others into the
         {Phycomycetes}; the {Ascomycetes}, or sac-spore fungi;
         and the {Basidiomycetes}, or basidial-spore fungi.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
    

Ascomycetes \Ascomycetes\ n.
   1. 1 large class of higher fungi .

   Syn: class Ascomycetes.
        [WordNet 1.5]
    

Ascomycetes \As`co*my*ce"tes\, n. pl. [NL.; ascus + Gr. ?, ?,
   fungus.] (Bot.)
   A large class of higher fungi distinguished by septate
   hyph[ae], and by having their spores formed in asci, or spore
   sacs; the sac fungi. It comprises many orders, among which
   are the yeasts, molds, mildews, truffles, morels, etc. The
   class is coextensive with the phylum Ascomycota. --
   {As`co*my*ce"tous}, a.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5]