Difference between revisions of "Ascomycete"

'''ascomycete''' ([[Category:Noun]][[:Category:Noun|noun]], ''pl.'' ascomycetes; ''synonym:'' [[sac fungus]]) – a fungus that reproduces by [[ascospore]]s formed within an [[ascus]] by an [[enveloping membranes system]] through a process called [[free cell formation]]. Many imperfect (= [[anamorphic]], [[mitosporic]]) fungi can now also be assigned to the ascomycetes because of molecular evidence even though their [[sexual reproduction]] stages often remain unknown. In botanical classification of fungi the suffix "[[–mycetes]]" denotes the taxonomic rank of a class. Some modern classification systems, like the current outline of the [[Ascomycota]] ([http://www.umu.se/myconet/curr/current.html MYCONET]), no longer recognize a separate class ''Ascomycetes''. Instead, other groups have been elevated to this rank, e. g., the ''Arthoniomycetes'', ''Lecanoromycetes'', etc. Alternatively, the 9th edition of the Dictionary of Fungi ([http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/fundic.asp]) still treats ''Ascomycetes'' as a class and recognizes the same groups as ''sub''classes, e. g., ''Arthoniomycetidae'', ''Lecanoromycetidae'', etc. No matter, which classification system is followed, the term ''ascomycetes'' is now relatively well established in common English language. In contrast, the trivial name [[sac fungi]] is rarely used. The spelling ''ascomycetes'' (not capitalized) should be used if the term is used informally in the sense of a common name. Otherwise, the term ''must be'' capitalized (''Ascomycetes'') to indicate that it refers to a class of organisms.