Basidiomycete

Purdue Arboretum Learning System

This glossary definition is part of the Purdue Arboretum learning resource database, providing educational information on campus flora, morphology, and botanical terminology.

Synonyms: Basida, Basidiomycetes, basidium, Basidium, Basidum
Categories: Fungi / mycology

Basidiomycete
A type of fungus that forms its sexual spores externally on a special cell called a basidium. In most basidiomycetes four basidiospores form on each basidium. Because the basidium is often club-shaped, the basidiomycetes are sometimes referred to as club fungi. The basidiomycetes comprise the second largest group of fungi, including mushrooms, boletes, bracket fungi, rusts and smuts.

Did you know?

Most familiar mushrooms are basidiomycetes, producing spores on microscopic club-shaped cells called basidia.

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