*basidiomycota*

‖n. pl. (Bot.) [ NL., fr. NL. & E. basidium + Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, fungus. ] (Bot.) A large subdivision of the kingdom Fungi coextensive with the phylum Basidiomycetes, characterized by having the spores borne on a basidium. It embraces those fungi best known to the public, such as mushrooms, toadstools, etc. Among the classes of the Basidiomycota are: Gasteromycetes (puffballs); Tiliomycetes (comprising the orders Ustilaginales (smuts) and Uredinales (rusts)); and Hymenomycetes (mushrooms; toadstools; agarics; bracket fungi). In the 1913 Webster, the Basidiomycetes were defined as "coördinate with the Ascomycetes", and other fungal phyla (the Zygomycota and Deuteromycota) were not mentioned.
Syn. -- Basidiomycota, subdivision Basidiomycota, subdivision Basidiomycotina. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]