In older classifications, a class containing all the relatively unspecialized true fungi, i.e. all true fungi except the ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, and imperfect fungi. It is now recognized that the Phycomycetes included a number of only distantly related groups that are better considered as separate classes (see Chytridiomycetes , Oomycetes , Zygomycetes ) or subdivisions (see Mastigomycotina , Zygomycotina ). The name is also misleading as it implies a relationship with the algae, which the evidence to date suggests is unlikely. |
