General characters of Ascomycetes

Ascomycetes

(1) The mycellium is branched, septate with simple pore .

(2) Pimary mycellium is uni - or multinucleate ,but ascogenous hyphae are always binucleate .

(3) Terminal conidia of conidiophore are common asexual spores of many species .

(4) Karyogamy is performed in the young ascus & immediately followed by meiosis and mitosis  respectively to produce endogenous 8 ascospores .

(5) There is no any motile structure in the lifecycle.

(6) Asci are protected by ascocarp of three types :

(i) cup -shaed apothecium e.g. Ascobolus.

(ii)flask-shaped perithecium e.g. Daldenia .

(iii) closed & round cleistothecium e.g. Penicillium .

(7) Hook or Crozier formation is common during ascus formation.

(8) Sexal reproduction is variable :

(i) gametangial copulation e.g.Yeast

(ii) gametangial contact e.g. Penicillium

(iii) somatogamy e.g.Morchella

(iv) spermatisation e.g. Polystigma .