fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the

hymenomycetes Hymenomycetes was formerly the largest taxonomic group of fungi within the division Basidiomycota, but the term is no longer taxonomically relevant. Many familiar fungi belong to this class, including bracket fungi and toadstools. This class cont ...

; rusts and smuts do not produce such structures. As with other sporocarps, epigeous (above-ground) basidiocarps that are visible to the naked eye (especially those with a more or less agaricoid morphology) are commonly referred to as

mushrooms A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

, while hypogeous (underground) basidiocarps are usually called false truffles.

Structure

All basidiocarps serve as the structure on which the hymenium is produced.

Basidia A basidium () is a microscopic sporangium (a spore-producing structure) found on the hymenophore of fruiting bodies of basidiomycete fungi which are also called tertiary mycelium, developed from secondary mycelium. Tertiary mycelium is highly- ...

are found on the surface of the hymenium, and the basidia ultimately produce spores. In its simplest form, a basidiocarp consists of an undifferentiated fruiting structure with a hymenium on the surface; such a structure is characteristic of many simple jelly and club fungi. In more complex basidiocarps, there is differentiation into a stipe, a pileus, and/or various types of hymenophores.

Types

File:Amanita muscaria 3 vliegenzwammen op rij.jpg, Basidiocarps of '' Amanita muscaria'', an agaric. File:Ramaria rugosa var cinerea.jpg, Basidiocarps of ''Ramaria rugosa'', a coral fungus File:Cantharellus tubiformis 050920w.jpg, Basidiocarps of ''

Craterellus tubaeformis ''Craterellus tubaeformis'' (formerly ''Cantharellus tubaeformis'') is an edible fungus, also known as yellowfoot, winter mushroom, or funnel chanterelle. It is mycorrhizal, forming symbiotic associations with plants, making it very challengi ...

'', a cantharelloid fungus. Basidiocarps are classified into various types of growth forms based on the degree of differentiation into a stipe, pileus, and hymenophore, as well as the type of hymenophore, if present. Growth forms include: * jelly fungus – fruiting body is jelly-like. *

club fungus The clavarioid fungi are a group of fungi in the ''Basidiomycota'' typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fun ...

and

coral fungus The clavarioid fungi are a group of fungi in the ''Basidiomycota'' typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fun ...

– erect fruiting body without a distinct stalk and cap, either unbranched (club fungus) or profusely branched (coral fungus). * polypore – underside of the fruiting body usually consists of tubes; otherwise very variable, usually wood-inhabiting *tooth fungus or

hydnoid fungus The hydnoid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota with basidiocarps (fruit bodies) producing spores on pendant, tooth-like or spine-like projections. They are colloquially called tooth fungi. Originally such fungi were referred to the ge ...

- underside of the fruiting body composed of spines or teeth * corticioid fungus - the underside of the fruiting body is usually smooth or with spines (vs. hydnoid fungi) but not poroid nor gilled; typically effused without caps *cantharelloid fungus – fruiting body with shallow fold-like gills running over most of the lower surface of the fruiting body and not much differentiation between the stalk and cap. * gasteromycete or "gastroid fungus" – fruiting body has a ball-like shape and in which the hymenophore has become entirely enclosed on the inside of the fruiting body. *

false truffle A false truffle or a hymenogastrale is any species of fungus that has underground fruiting bodies that produce basidiocarps resembling the true truffles of genus ''Tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutri ...

– like a gasteromycete, however, but with a

hypogeous Hypogeal, hypogean, hypogeic and hypogeous (; ) are biological terms describing an organism's activity below the soil surface. In botany, a seed is described as showing hypogeal germination when the cotyledons of the germinating seed remain non ...

(underground) fruiting body. * secotioid fungus – like a gasteromycete, but with a stalk. Thought to be an evolutionarily intermediate stage between a gasteromycete and an agaric. *

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungus fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. In the UK, agarics are called "mushroom ...

or gill fungi – fruiting body with caps, gills, and (usually) a stalk. *

bolete {{refimprove, date=July 2020 A bolete is a type of mushroom, or fungal fruiting body. It can be identified thanks to a unique mushroom cap. The cap is clearly different from the stem. On the underside of the cap there is usually a spongy surf ...

– fleshy fruiting body with a cap, a stalk, and tubes on the underside. Basic divisions of Agaricomycotina were formerly based entirely upon the growth form of the mushroom. Molecular phylogenetic investigation (as well as supporting evidence from micromorphology and

chemotaxonomy Merriam-Webster defines ''chemotaxonomy'' as the method of biological classification based on similarities and dissimilarity in the structure of certain compounds among the organisms being classified. Advocates argue that, as proteins are more cl ...

) has since demonstrated that similar types of basidiomycete growth form are often examples of

convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...

and do not always reflect a close relationship between different groups of fungi. For example, agarics have arisen independently in the Agaricales, the Boletales, the Russulales, and other groups, while secotioid fungi and false truffles have arisen independently many times just within the Agaricales.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Evolution & Morphology in the Homobasidiomycetes: The Clade/Morphology Chart
by Gary Lincoff & Michael Wood, ''MykoWeb'', November 27, 2005.

by Peter Werner, '' Mycena News'', December 2002. (Archived at ''MycoWeb'')
"Mycomorphology Part 2: Basidiocarp Keeps its Balance"
by Peter Werner, ''Mycena News'', March 2003. (Archived at ''MycoWeb'') Fungal morphology and anatomy

Structure

Types

See also

References

External links