A heterogenous phylum of fungi which lack a sexual phase, or of which the sexual phase is not known. Some undoubtedly represent the conidium stages of various Ascomycetes. It is not considered a natural phylum, and is also called the
Deuteromycota. The group is divided into the orders
Sphæropsidales,
Melanconiales, and
Moniliales. It includes the genera
Penicillium and
Aspergillus, which reproduce asexually by means of conidia. [
Webster 1913 Suppl.]