Class Phaeophyceae (brown algae)
Parent taxon: Heterokontophyta according to E. Taylor et al. 2008
Sister taxa: Archaeomonas, Bacillariophyceae, Dictyochophyceae, Dossetia, Cosmiodiscus, Discoideae, Stephanogonia, Triceratiaceae, Biddulphiaceae, Cymatogonia, Pleurosigma, Periptera, Mediaria, Bruniopsis, Bacillariophytina, Clavicula, Macrora, Xanthophyceae
Subtaxa: Chordites Ectocarpales Fucales Fucus Laminariales Limnophycus Staurofucus