Division of fungi that contains the yeasts and morels; ascomycetes produce an ascus (or sac) in which ascospores are produced.

Constitutes the largest class of fungi characterized by the production of sexual spores in structures called asci. This includes plant pathogens, saprobes, and decomposers. With a few exceptions, most Ascomycetes do not grow in buildings and are seldom agents of wood rot. Ascomycetes are the perfect stages of molds like Aspergillus and Penicillium. At high levels, Ascomycetes spores may cause allergies. Since most Ascomycetes are plant pathogens, ascospores are common during the growing season of plants and rare during winter, such as those of the Ascomycetes genera: Daldinia, Hypoxylon, Paraphaeosphaeria, Phaeosphaeria, and Leptosphaeria.

a group of fungi producing their sexual spores, ascospores, within asci

A group of fungi that have in common that they produce their sexual Spores inside specialized cells (asci), which usually contain eight Spores