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A specialized cell in fungi of the Ascomycotina in which ascospores develop. If it is cylindrical, as is usually the case, then the ascospores are violently discharged. However, in some ascomycetes (e.g. the Endomycetales and Eurotiales) the ascus is a globular sac and in these fungi the ascospores are released passively. The tip of the ascus may possess a cap, the operculum, or it may simply have a terminal pore. This characteristic is important in separating the operculate Pezizales from the in-operculate Helotiales. In most ascomycetes the ascus wall is a single layer (unitunicate) but in the Loculoasco-mycetes it consists of two layers (bituni-cate).
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