The general characteristics of basidiomycetes:
-
The diagnostic characteristics of the basidiomycetes are the presence of basidium bearing basidiospores, Clamp connections and doliopore septa.
-
The visible part of the fungus is the sporocarp, the basidiocarp or basidiome.
-
Basidium originates from a binucleated structure where the karyogamy and the meiosis occur. The Basidium bears the basidiospores on the outside.
-
The life cycle is characterized by the short diploid stage in the basidium and the prolonged dikaryotic phase.
-
The basidiospores contain single haploid nucleus. These spores germinate to produce haploid monokaryotic mycelium.
-
During the fusion of the monokaryotic hyphae, the nuclei of one hyphae move to the other. Thus the hypha is known as the dikaryotic. Each of the dikaryon is having two haploid nuclei.
-
Four uninucleated basidiospores are produced on each basidium. Each of basidium are produced on elongate projection known as sterigmata.
-
Each sterigma bears basidiospores at its apex.
