noun
- A microscopic, club-shaped structure in fungi that produces spores, typically found in basidiomycete fungi such as mushrooms and toadstools.
Usage: technical; mycology; plural: basidia
Examples
- The basidium is the reproductive structure characteristic of basidiomycete fungi.
- Under a microscope, the basidium appears as a small club-shaped cell.
- Spores develop on the surface of the basidium before being released into the air.
- Mycologists study the basidium to classify different fungal species.
- The basidium typically produces four spores at its apex.