Phylum Glomeromycota

This phylum contains approximately 200 species of fungi, which mainly reproduce asexually. They draw nutrition from plants, and form arbuscular mycorrhizas with higher plants. The fungus basically penetrates the cortical cells of the roots of a plant, and form arbuscular mycorrhizas. These specialized structures help the plant derive nutrients from the soil. According to scientific estimates, the symbiotic relationship between plants and glomeromycotas dates back to 400 million years.