Deuteromycetes

The Deuteromycetes are commonly known as imperfect fungi because only the asexual or vegetative phases of these fungi are known.

When the sexual forms of these fungi were discovered, they were moved into the classes they rightly belong to. It is also possible that the asexual and vegetative stage was given one name (and placed under deuteromycetes) while the sexual stage was given another (and placed under another class). Later, when the linkages were established, the fungi were correctly identified and moved out of the deuteromycetes — once perfect (sexual) stages were discovered, they were often moved to ascomycetes and basidiomycetes.

Characteristic features:

• they reproduce only by asexual spores known as conidia
• the mycelium is septate and branched …