Basidiomycota

Basidiomycota is a large group of fungi that includes familiar species like mushrooms, toadstools, and puffballs. They are characterized by producing spores on specialized club-shaped structures called basidia, typically during sexual reproduction. These fungi play essential roles in ecosystems as decomposers breaking down wood, leaves, and organic matter, and some form symbiotic relationships with plants (mycorrhizae), aiding nutrient exchange. Basidiomycota also include certain plant pathogens. They have diverse forms, from large visible mushrooms to microscopic spores, and are important both ecologically and economically, with some species used in food, medicine, or biotechnology.