Question

Basidiospores are produced by
a) Yeasts
b) Diatoms
c) Agaricus
d) Bacteria

Answer 1

Hint: A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi. It is a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Each basidiospores contains one haploid nucleus through meiosis.

Complete Answer:
Basidiospores are produced on specialized club shaped cells named basidia which have four small outgrowths called sterigmata. Each of these sterigmata produce one spore. Basidia are the club-shaped fruiting bodies which develop on the gills of Basidiomycota, the mushroom-producing fungi. Bracket fungi, or shelf fungi, are among the many groups of fungi that compose Basidiomycota. Although the term 'bracket fungi' was reserved for polypores, molecular studies have revealed some unique relationships. The beefsteak fungus, a well-known bracket fungus, is actually a member of the agarics. Thus, basidiospores can be said to come under the banner of option (C) Agaricus.

Note:
Polypores are a group of fungi that form large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on their underside. They are a morphological group of basidiomycetes-like gilled mushrooms and hydnoid fungi. Not all polypores are closely related to each other. They are also called bracket fungi.

Figure: Basidiospore formation