Basidiomycota is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Basidiomycota includes these groups: agarics, puffballs, stinkhorns, bracket fungi, other polypores, jelly fungi, boletes, chanterelles, earth stars, smuts, bunts, rusts, mirror yeasts, and Cryptococcus, the human pathogenic yeast.
Helicobasidium purpureum is a species of fungus in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Basidiocarps are corticioid (patch-forming) and are typically violet to purple. Microscopically they have auricularioid basidia. Helicobasidium purpureum is an opportunistic plant pathogen and is one of the causes of violet root rot of crops and other plants. DNA sequencing suggests that it is a complex of more than one species. The species has a conidia-bearing anamorph in the Tuberculina persicina complex that is a parasite of rust fungi.
Helicobasidium longisporum is a species of fungus in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Basidiocarps are corticioid (patch-forming) and are typically violet to purple. Microscopically they have auricularioid basidia. Helicobasidium longisporum is an opportunistic plant pathogen and is one of the causes of violet root rot of crops and other plants. DNA sequencing suggests that it is a complex of more than one species.
Pucciniomycotina is a subdivision of fungus within the division Basidiomycota. The subdivision contains 10 classes, 21 orders, and 38 families. Over 8400 species of Pucciniomycotina have been described - more than 8% of all described fungi. The subdivision is considered a sister group to Ustilaginomycotina and Agaricomycotina, which may share the basal lineage of Basidiomycota, although this is uncertain due to low support for placement between the three groups. The group was known as Urediniomycetes until 2006, when it was elevated from a class to a subdivision and named after the largest order in the group, Pucciniales.
Helicobasidium is a genus of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Basidiocarps are corticioid (patch-forming) and are typically violet to purple. Microscopically they have auricularioid basidia. Asexual anamorphs, formerly referred to the genus Thanatophytum, produce sclerotia. Conidia-bearing anamorphs are parasitic on rust fungi and are currently still referred to the genus Tuberculina.
The Heterogastridiales are an order of fungi in the class Microbotryomycetes. The order contains a single family, the Heterogastridiaceae, which currently contains five genera. Some species in the order are currently known only from their yeast states. Those producing hyphal states have auricularioid basidia and are parasitic on other fungi. Basidiocarps, when present, are minute and variously stilboid (pin-shaped), pustular, or pycnidioid (flask-shaped). Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has shown that the order is a monophyletic (natural) group, though the type and only species of Krieglsteinera has not yet been sequenced and may belong elsewhere.
Leucosporidium is a genus of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. The genus comprises fungi that are mostly known from their yeast states, though some produce hyphal states in culture that give rise to teliospores from which auricularioid basidia emerge. Species known only from their anamorphic yeast states were formerly referred to the genus Leucosporidiella, but, following changes to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, the practice of giving different names to teleomorph and anamorph forms of the same fungus was discontinued, meaning that Leucosporidiella became a synonym of the earlier name Leucosporidium. Species have been isolated predominantly from cold environments and are regarded as psychrotolerant.
The Kriegeriales are an order of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Most species are known only from their yeast states and can be found in a variety of habitats, ranging from arctic waters to tropical ferns. Hyphal states produce auricularioid basidia.
Sporobolomyces is a genus of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Species produce both yeast states and hyphal states. The latter form teliospores from which auricularioid (tubular and laterally septate) basidia emerge, bearing basidiospores. Yeast colonies are salmon-pink to red. Sporobolomyces species occur worldwide and have been isolated (as yeasts) from a wide variety of substrates. They produce ballistoconidia that are bilaterally symmetrical, they have Coenzyme Q10 or Coenzyme Q10(H2) as their major ubiquinone, they lack xylose in whole-cell hydrolysates, and they cannot ferment sugars. One species, Sporobolomyces salmonicolor, is known to cause disease in humans.
The Platygloeales are an order of fungi in the class Pucciniomycetes. Species in the order have auricularioid basidia and are typically plant parasites on mosses, ferns, and angiosperms, though Platygloea species appear to be saprotrophic.
Naohidea sebacea is a species of fungus in the order Naohideales. The order is currently monotypic, having only one family, one genus, and one species. Basidiocarps of Naohidea sebacea form small, gelatinous pustules on wood-inhabiting species of Botryosphaeriaceae. Microscopically, they produce long, slender, auricularioid basidia and amygdaliform (almond-shaped) basidiospores.
Platygloea is a genus of fungi belonging to the class Pucciniomycetes. Basidiocarps of the type species are disc-shaped, gelatinous, and occur on dead wood, probably as a saprotroph. Microscopically, all species of Platygloea sensu lato have auricularioid basidia. Currently the genus contains a heterogeneous mix of auricularioid fungi not yet accommodated in other genera.
Cystobasidium is a genus of fungi in the order Cystobasidiales. The type species is a fungal parasite forming small gelatinous basidiocarps on various ascomycetous fungi on dung. Microscopically, it has auricularioid basidia producing basidiospores that germinate by budding off yeast cells. Other species are known only from their yeast states. The yeasts Cystobasidium minutum and C. calyptogenae are rare but known human pathogens.
Cystobasidium fimetarium is a species of fungus in the order Cystobasidiales. It is a fungal parasite forming small gelatinous basidiocarps on various ascomycetous fungi on dung. Microscopically, it has auricularioid basidia producing basidiospores that germinate by budding off yeast cells. The species is known from Europe and North America.
Occultifur is a genus of fungi in the family Cystobasidiaceae. Species are parasites of other fungi and, microscopically, have auricularioid basidia and basidiospores that germinate by yeast cells. Several species are currently only known from their yeast states. The genus is distributed worldwide.
The Kriegeriaceae are a family of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. The family currently comprises four genera, one of which (Kriegeria) contains a plant pathogenic species with auricularioid basidia. The other genera contain species currently known only from their yeast states.
The Camptobasidiaceae are a family of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. The family currently comprises two genera, one of which (Camptobasidium) contains an aquatic, hyphal species with auricularioid basidia. The other genus contains species currently known only from their yeast states.
Slooffia is a genus of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. Most species are known only from their yeast states. Known hyphal states produce auricularioid basidia, bearing basidiospores, and are parasitic on other fungi.
Hyalopycnis is a genus of fungi in the subdivision Pucciniomycotina. The genus is currently monotypic, comprising the single species Hyalopycnis hyalina. This was originally described as a minute, pycnidial (flask-shaped), anamorphic fungus, later found to be basidiomycetous. Later still, a teleomorphic state was found, producing auricularioid basidia and basidiospores that are tetraradiate. This latter state was given the name Heterogastridium pycnidioideum, but, following changes to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, the practice of giving different names to teleomorph and anamorph forms of the same fungus was discontinued, meaning that Heterogastridium became a synonym of the earlier name Hyalopycnis. The species was described from Europe and is also known from North America and Japan, growing on decaying fungal fruit bodies or vegetable matter.
Sirobasidium is a genus of fungi in the order Tremellales. Basidiocarps are gelatinous and appear to be parasitic on ascomycetous fungi on wood. Microscopically they are distinguished by producing septate basidia in chains which give rise to deciduous sterigmata. Species are distributed worldwide.
