1. KINGDOM EUMYCOTA - The True Fungi
Phylum Basidiomycota
Disclaimer: Keep in mind that new systems that new information is changing our current understanding of how fungi are phylogenetically-related and should be taxonomically arranged.

2. Phylum Basidiomycota Characteristics: Septate mycelium
Basidia and basidiospores
Clamp connections. Not all Basidiomycetes produce these, but when a fungus does it will always be a basidiomycete.

3. Basidiomycetes Characteristics:
Two main groups, based on morphology of basidia.
Basidia are septate and deeply lobed
Order Uredinales – the rusts
Produce all five spore stages – aeciospores, uredospores, teliospores, basidiospores and spermatia (aka pycniospores)
Important genera – Puccinia, Gymnosporangium
Order Ustilaginales – the smuts
Produce only basidiospores and teliospores
Important genera – Ustilago, Tilletia

4. Basidiomycetes Characteristics:
Two main groups, based on morphology of basidia.
Basidia are unicellular, non-septate: wood decay fungi
Order Aphyllophorales (aka Polyporales) – the bracket fungi
Hymenium lines small pores on underside of sporophore
Important genera – Polyporus, Fomes
Order Agaricales – the mushrooms
Hymenium lines gills (lamellae)
Important genera – Armillaria, Agaricus

5. Aphyllophorales
Agaricales

6. Phylum Basidiomycota - "Basidiomycetes"
septate hyphae, often with clamp connections present
multicellular sporocarp called the basidioma or basidiocarp is common
sexual spores (basidiospores) produced over a hymenium on the surface of club-shaped structures (basidium) at the tip of sterigma (pl. = sterigmata)
some groups have a HOLOBASIDIUM (a single-celled basidium), while others possess a PHRAGMOBASIDIUM (a basidium that is divided into more than one cell by transverse or longitudinal setpa. 
very diverse groups (from some types of yeasts, to rust and smut fungi, gilled-mushrooms, puffballs, polypores, etc.)
Spore discharge - see
Some of the following information and figures are from

7. The formation of a clamp connection and maintenance of the dikaryon in a basidiomycete

8. Hymenium, Basidia,and Basidiospores

9. TWO BASIDUM TYPES
PHRAGOMOBASIDIA
HOLOBASIDIA

10. OTHER EXAMPLES OF HOLOBASIDIA AND PHRAGMOBASIDIA

11. Basidiomycetes 5. Three types of hyphae
Primary hyphae – develops from a germinating basidiospore. Nuclear status = n
Secondary hypha – results from fusion of two primary hyphae. Yields a n+n cell that continues to grow as a n+n hyphae
Tertiary hypha – exactly the same as secondary hypha. n+n However it has thick walls that enable production of fleshy and wood sporophores
Primary hyphae
Primary hyphae
Secondary hyphae
Tertiary hyphae

12. Phylum Basidiomycota: Three major classes
Class Uredinoiomycetes
Order Uredinales - The Rusts
Class Ustomycetes - The Smuts
Order Ustilaginales
Class Basidiomycetes
Order Tremellales- jelly fungi; Tremella mesenterica - witch's butter
Order Auriculariales - fungus ears; Auricularia auricula - wood ear
Order Aphyllophorales - chanterelles, tooth fungi, polypores, coral fungi.
Order Agaricales - the boletes, gilled mushrooms - inky caps, oyster mushrooms, etc.
The following orders were formerly placed in the FORM CLASS Gasteromycetes or "stomach fungi".
Order Phallales - stinkhorns
Order Lycoperdales- puffballs and earth stars
Order Tulostomatales- stalked puffballs
Order Sclerodermatales - earth balls
Order Nidulariales - bird's nest fungi and sphere throwers
OTHER ORDERS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS BASIDIOMYCETES BUT NOT COVERED IN CLASS:
Orders Septobasidiales, Brachybasidiales, Dacrymycetales, Tulasnellales, Melanogastrales, and Gauieriales.

13. RUST AND SMUT FUNGI Teliomycetes (old name) or Uredinales (rusts)
Class Uredinoiomycetes
Order Uredinales - The Rusts
Class Ustomycetes - The Smuts
Order Ustilaginales  
Uredinales (rusts)
Ustilaginales (smuts)

14. The Rusts
These are obligate parasites. Generally these require two host to complete their lifecycle.
Primary hosts – the host on which basidia and basidiospores are produced.
Alternate host – the other host in the life cycle on which spermagonia and aecia are produced
Alternative host – the host that a pathogen can infect in place of the primary or alternate hosts.
Heteroecious – organisms with a primary and alternate host.
Autoecious – organisms that have only a single (primary) host.
Macrocyclic rust – long cycle rust. Produce all 5 spore types.
Demicyclic rust – medium cycle rust. Omits uredia.
Microcyclic rust – short cycle rusts. Produces basidiospores, teliospores and spermatia.

15. Order Uredinales
Order Ustilaginales

16. The Rusts Stem Rust of Wheat caused by Puccinia graminis
Reduces yield and quality of grain; fungus causes lesions or pustules on wheat stems.
Management - remove alternate host (i.e., barberry); use resistant cultivars of wheat
Cedar-Apple Rust caused by Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae
Apples become deformed and ugly; fruit size reduced due to damage to foliage
Management - removal of cedar trees, which serves as the alternate host; spray apple trees with fungicides, and use rust-resistant apple trees

17. Wheat stem rust

18. Cedar apple rust is caused by Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianum; lacks the uredia stage = no repeating stage

19. The Smuts Corn smut caused by Ustilago maydis
Galls develop on male and female (ear) inflorescences.
No major methods of control recommended; tends to be a chronic but relatively insignificant disease.
Loose smut of cereals by Ustilago avenae, U. nuda, and U. tritici
Flowering parts of plants develop spore-filled galls (teliospores)
infected seed treated with fungicides before planting; use of certified smut-free seeds and systemic fungicides; hot-water treatment of seed to kill fungus.

20. Corn smut caused by Ustilago maydis

21. Loose smut of cereals

22. Comparison of Rust & Smut Fungi
Uredinales (rusts)
Ustilaginales (smuts)
1. Teliospores terminal.
 1. Teliospores intercalary.
2. Basidiospores 4, discharged from sterigmata.
2. Basidiospores variable in number, not on sterigmata, not discharged.
3. Spermagonia produce dikaryotic stage.
3. No spermagonia; dikaryotic stage. stage arises from fusion of any two compatible cells.
4. Clamp connections absent.
4. Clamp connections common.
5. Many species require two hosts for complete life cycle.
5. Never requires two hosts. 
6. Most species unculturable on artificial media.
6. Most species readily culturable.
7. Infections usually localized. 
7. Infections usually systemic.
8. Teliospores in telial sori, usually on stems or leaves.
8. Teliospores replace host host organs, usually ovaries and anthers.
9. Attack ferns, gymnosperms, or angiosperms. 
9. Attack only angiosperms.

23. Class Basidiomycetes
Order Tremellales- jelly fungi; Tremella mesenterica - witch's butter
Order Auriculariales - fungus ears; Auricularia auricula - wood ear
Order Aphyllophorales - chanterelles, tooth fungi, polypores, coral fungi.
Order Agaricales - the boletes, gilled mushrooms - inky caps, oyster mushrooms, etc.
The following orders were formerly placed in the FORM CLASS Gasteromycetes or "stomach fungi".
Order Phallales - stinkhorns
Order Lycoperdales- puffballs and earth stars
Order Tulostomatales- stalked puffballs
Order Sclerodermatales - earth balls
Order Nidulariales - bird's nest fungi and sphere throwers
OTHER ORDERS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS BASIDIOMYCETES BUT NOT COVERED IN CLASS:
Orders Septobasidiales, Brachybasidiales, Dacrymycetales, Tulasnellales, Melanogastrales, and Gauieriales.

24. Order Tremellales - jelly fungi

25. Order Auriculariales - fungus ears

26. Order Aphyllophorales

27. Order Agaricales

28. Order Phallales – the stinkhorns

29. Order Lycoperdales – puffballs and earthstars

30. Order Tulostomatales- stalked puffballs

31. Order Sclerodermatales – earth balls

32. Order Nidulariales - bird's nest fungi and sphere throwers

33. Mycophagy - To eat or not to eat?
MYCOPHAGY - (Gr. mykes = mushroom + phagein = to eat) is a practice that dates back to antiquity. 
Edible mushrooms are good sources of protein (by dry weight), indigestible "fiber" (due to presence of chitin), some potential medicinal compounds, and add diversity to our omnivorous diet (e.g., true morels, oyster mushrooms, button mushrooms, shiitake). 
Mushrooms include the sporocarps of certain members of the Phylum Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.