The Ascomycota,formerly known as the Ascomycetae, or Ascomycetes, are a Division of Fungi, whose members are commonly known as the Sac Fungi, which produce spores in a distinctive type of microscopic sporangium called an ascus.

Examples of sac fungi are yeasts, morels, truffles, and Penicillium.

The majority of plant-pathogenic fungi belong to this group, or the Deuteromycota.

Species of ascomycetes are also popular in the laboratory.

Sordaria fimicola, Neurospora crassa and several species of yeasts are used in many genetics and cell biology experiments..

For more information about the topic Sac fungi, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:

Morel mushroom — The morel (Morchella) is a genus of edible cup fungi. They produce highly porous ascocarps, prized by gourmet cooks, particularly for French cuisine. ...  > read more

Spore — In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersion and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. ...  > read more

Yeast — Yeasts constitute a group of single-celled (unicellular) fungi, a few species of which are commonly used to leaven bread, ferment alcoholic ...  > read more

How mushrooms spread spores — An ascocarp, or ascoma (plural: ascomata), is the fruiting body of an ascomycete fungus. It consists of very tightly interwoven hyphae and may ...  > read more

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