TERM 1
Ascomycota
DEFINITION 1
They are the largest phylum of Fungi , he defining feature of this
fungal group is the "ascus", a microsc opic sexual structure in
which nonmotile spores, called ascos pores, are formed. However,
some species of the Ascomycota are asexual, meaning that they
do not have a sexual cycle and thus do not form asci or
ascospores. Discomycetes (cup fung i) are the class under the
phylum ascomycota
TERM 2
Discomycetes
DEFINITION 2
Are apothecial fungi, the fruiting body is on top. Discomycetes is a
former taxonomic class of Ascomyce te fungi which contains all of
the cup, sponge, brain, and some clu b-like fungi. A common
feature of Discomycetes are the as ci, which are typically produced
on the surface of cup-like fruiting bod ies. In most discomycetes,
each ascus contains eight sexual spo res that are forcibly
discharged into the air when mature .
TERM 3
Ascoma
DEFINITION 3
An ascocarp, or ascoma (plural: ascomata), is the fruiting
body (sporocarp) of an ascomycete fungus. It consists of very
tightly interwoven hyphae and may contain millions of asci,
each of which contains typically eight ascospores. Ascocarps
are most commonly bowl-shaped, but may take on a number
of other designs.
TERM 4
Apothecium
DEFINITION 4
The ascocarp is open above like a cup. The fertile layer is
free, so that many spores can be dispersed simultaneously.
The morel, Morchella, an edible ascocarp, not a mushroom,
favored by gourmets, is a mass of apothecia fused together
in a single large structure or cap.
TERM 5
Ascus
DEFINITION 5
An ascus is the sexual spore-bearing cell produced in
ascomycete fungi. On average, asci normally contain 8
ascospores, produced by a meiotic cell division followed, in
most species, by a mitotic cell division.
