Deuteromycota
The word means “second fungi” in Greek. These fungi are also known as Deuteromycetes and Fungi Imperfecti. It is termed as such because the terminology “perfect phase”, employed by mycologists, refers to the stage in the life cycle where sexual reproduction occurs. However, the fungi lack a sexual stage in their life cycle, reproducing only asexually. Formally considered a phylum of fungi, it is included still (in our website, in any case), as many fungi under Deuteromycota remain unclassified.
Why is this so?
As fungi are grouped into their classifications according to the fruiting bodies and spores produced during sexual reproduction, fungi in Deuteromycota have only been known to reproduce asexually. Hence, Deuteromycota continues to be used informally.
It is important to note the possibility of biologists not yet having discovered the suitable environmental conditions required for such fungi to observe the sexual phase of their life cycle.
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