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