Question

Which option is related to Basidiomycetes?
A. Puffball, Mushroom, Morechelia
B. Neurospora, Rust, Smut
C. Puff ball, Mushroom, Smut
D. Pezzia, Morels, Rust

Answer 1

Hint: It is the class of fungi that grow in soil, on logs and tree stumps and also on the living plant bodies as parasites. These are commonly known forms of basidiomycetes.These are commonly known as club fungi due to the shape of its spores.

Complete Answer:
- Basidiomycetes is the class of fungi that are commonly known as club fungi due to the presence of club shaped basidiospores that are sexual spores.
- The mycelium of this is branched and separate. The asexual spores are not found but vegetative reproduction by fragmentation is common.
- Basidiomycetes are also known as ballistospores because of the ballistic basidiospores.
- The sex organs are absent in basidiomycetes but plasmogamy is brought about by fusion of two vegetative or somatic cells of different strains or genotypes.
- Cryptococcus neoformans is pathogenic to humans and causes cryptococcal meningitis in the brain.
- Mushroom is also known as gill fungi because of the presence of gill-like structure on the underside of the cap. These gills are actually the compacted hyphae on which the basidia are produced.

- Examples include Agaricus( mushroom),Ustilago(smut),Puccinia(rust),bracket fungi(puffballs).

The correct option is C i.e. Puffballs, mushroom and smut.

Additional information: The basidiospores are exogenously produced on the basidium. The basidia are arranged in the fruiting bodies called basidiocarps.
Some of the basidiomycetes are the cause of disease in plants while some are edible.
For example mushroom can be used for an edible purpose whereas Puccinia is responsible for causing wheat rust.

Note: The basidiocarps form a ring in a meadow that is commonly known as a "fairy ring". The best known fairy ring fungus is Marasmius oreades.