The phylum Eumycota, also known as true fungi, is the largest and most diverse group of fungi, comprising about 100,000 species. Eumycota are characterized by their filamentous growth habit and the presence of septate hyphae. This phylum is divided into several subphyla, including Ascomycotina, Basidiomycotina, and Deuteromycotina.
Alexopoulos loved slime molds, but most modern texts (like Dictionary of the Fungi ) move them to Kingdom Protista . classification of fungi according to alexopoulos
In 1962, Alexopoulos published a comprehensive classification system for fungi, which was later updated in 1979. This system, known as the "Alexopoulos system," divides fungi into four main phyla: Myxomycota, Eumycota, Oomycota, and Zygomycota. The system is based on a combination of morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. The phylum Eumycota, also known as true fungi,
: This is treated as an for fungi that lack a known sexual reproduction stage. Subkingdom Dikarya : A clade proposed to combine Ascomycota and Basidiomycota Alexopoulos loved slime molds, but most modern texts
This group contains Aspergillus flavus (produces aflatoxin), Candida albicans (yeast infections), and many human pathogens.
According to Alexopoulos, fungi are nucleated, spore-bearing, achlorophyllous organisms that generally reproduce both sexually and asexually. Their filamentous branched somatic structures are typically surrounded by cell walls containing chitin, cellulose, or both. This definition helped isolate them from the broader "Plantae" kingdom where they were traditionally placed. Structural Hierarchy of the 1979 Classification