Basidia

/bəˈsɪdiə/ noun

Definition

The plural of basidium; club-shaped structures found in certain fungi (like mushrooms) that produce spores.

Etymology

From New Latin 'basidium', diminutive of Latin 'basis' (base). The term refers to these small, base-like structures where fungal reproduction occurs.

Kelly Says

When you see a mushroom and wonder how it makes copies of itself, the answer is basidia—these tiny club-shaped factories on the underside produce millions of spores that drift through the air like living dust!

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