The Major Phyla of Fungi
| Phylum | Distinguishing Features | Examples |
|---|
| Basidiomycota (club fungi) | Sexual spores found in club-shaped cell called a basidium | Mushrooms, puffballs, earthstars, shelf fungi, jelly fungi, rusts |
| Ascomycota (sac fungi) | Sexual spores found in saclike structure called an ascus | Morels, truffles, Penicillium species, yeasts |
| Zygomycota (common molds) | Tough zygospore produced during sexual reproduction that can stay dormant for long periods | Rhizopus stolonifer (black bread mold), molds found on rotting strawberries and other soft fruits, mycorrhizae associated with plant roots |
| Chytridomycota (chytrids) | Only fungi with flagellated spores | Many species are decomposers found in lakes and moist soil |