basidiomycete

[ buh-sid-ee-oh-mahy-seet, -mahy-seet ]
/ bəˌsɪd i oʊˈmaɪ sit, -maɪˈsit /

noun

Mycology. any of a group of fungi constituting the phylum Basidiomycota of the kingdom Fungi (or, in older classification schemes, the class Basidiomycetes of the kingdom Plantae), characterized by bearing the spores on a basidium, including the smuts, rust, mushrooms, and puffballs.

Origin of basidiomycete

1895–1900; < New Latin Basidiomycetes; see basidium, -o-, -mycete

Words nearby basidiomycete

basicranial axis, basicranial flexure, basidia, basidiocarp, basidioma, basidiomycete, basidiomycetes, basidiomycetous, basidiomycota, basidiospore, basidium

British Dictionary definitions for basidiomycete

basidiomycete
/ (bæˌsɪdɪəʊmaɪˈsiːt) /

noun

any fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota (formerly class Basidiomycetes), in which the spores are produced in basidia. The group includes boletes, puffballs, smuts, and rusts

Derived forms of basidiomycete

basidiomycetous, adjective

Word Origin for basidiomycete

C19: from basidi ( um) + -mycete

Scientific definitions for basidiomycete

basidiomycete
[ bə-sĭd′ē-ō-mī′sēt′ ]

Any of various fungi belonging to the phylum Basidomycota, bearing sexually produced spores on a basidium. All hyphae of basidiomycetes are divided into segments by septa and go through three stages of development. In the final stage, each segment has two nuclei, and the hyphae grow to produce basidia and disperse basidiospores. The basidiomycetes are the most familiar forms of fungi and include mushrooms, puffballs, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts.