Fungi Classification - Basidiomycetes

Description:

Basidiomycetes are also known as club fungi. They are among the most advanced and most commonly seen fungi. They contain about 25,000 species. Motile structures or cells are absent.

The name basidiomycetes has been derived from the fact that they reproduce asexually by basidium. Each basidium is an enlarged, club-shaped, hyphal cell at the tip of which develop four basidiospores.

Basidiomycetes possess two types of mycelia −

• Primary mycelium − Formed due to germination of haploid spore. These are cells with single haploid nuclei.

• Secondary mycelium − When karyogamy is delayed for long, the intervening phase called dikaryophase produces a new mycelium called secondary mycelium which is dikaryotic.

Economic importance of basidiomycetes.

• One of the best decomposers of wood. They decompose cellulose and lignin.
• Mushrooms are of great economic value as food.
• Some produce hallucinogenic chemicals.
• Some are thought to contain anticancer substances.
• Some are causative agents of destructive disease of our crops.