General Characteristics of Fungi
Basidiomycota
Mushroom with gills
A section of a gill from a mushroom showing the basidia and basidiospores. Basidiospores have been stained red.
Section of a gill showing basidia and basidiospores. Basidiospores are dark colored.
High magnification of one basidia and two basidiospores
1. Basidia 2. Basdiospore 3. Stalk or sterigmata (difficult to see under the microscope).
A scanning electron micrograph showing basidia and basidiospores. Four basidiospores are produced on a basidium. The basidia and sterigmata that hold the basidiospores can be clearly seen in this image.