Cystobasidiomycetes

class of fungi

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

The Cystobasidiomycetes are a class of fungi within the phylum Basidiomycota. These fungi are primarily parasitic on plants. They are characterized by simple-septate basidiomycetes.12

This class is further divided into three orders:
* Cystobasidiales: These fungi are parasitic on plants and produce ballistospores, which are forcibly discharged spores.12
* Erythrobasidiales: Some species in this order are pathogenic to humans and animals, while others are saprotrophic or found in the air.12
* Naohideales: These are mycoparasitic fungi, meaning they parasitize other fungi.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

fungus
Annotated classification
Class Cystobasidiomycetes Parasitic on plants; simple-septate basidiomycetes; contains 3 orders. Order Cystobasidiales Parasitic on plants; yeasts are non-teliospore-forming and produce auricularioid basidia and ballistospores (spores that are forcibly discharged); example genera include Cystobasidium, Occultifur, and
Read More
Class Cystobasidiomycetes Parasitic on plants; simple-septate basidiomycetes; contains 3 orders. Order Cystobasidiales Parasitic on plants; yeasts are non-teliospore-forming and produce auricularioid basidia and ballistospores (spores that are forcibly discharged); example genera include Cystobasidium, Occultifur, and
Read More