Sub Phylum: Basidiomycotina
Basidiomycota are the second largest group of fungi,
approximately 3,000 species. Including organisms commonly known as mushrooms,
bracket or shelf fungi, earthstars, bird s nest fungi, rusts, smuts, and
puffballs. Basidiomycota are characterized primarily by the fact that they
produce spores on a structure called a basidium. The basidium is a club shaped
terminal cell within which karyogamy and meiosis occurs while the basidiospores
are produced externally. Typically, four basidiospores are produced on each
basidium. The morphology of the basidium is variable and consider once of the
basis for classifying the fungi to classes, The basidiospores are attached
(usually) to the basidium on special stalks called sterigmata. In most species
basidia are formed in a specialized layer called the hymenium.