Formerly a taxonomic group of basidiomycetes, now understood as polyphyletic assemblage of basidiomycetes, the term refers to fungi with fruit bodies whose hymenophore develops either not enclosed or only so with a veil (velum), which is called a gymnocarpic or hemiangiocarpic ontogeny, respectively. Puffballs, on the other hand, have gasterocarpic development (hymenophore enclosed).

See also: Agaricomycetes