Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

The Tremellomycetes are a class of fungi within the phylum Basidiomycota. This class includes the order Tremellales, which are characterized by basidiocarps that can range from gelatinous to waxy or horny when dry. While many are saprophytes, feeding on dead organic matter, some species are parasitic, affecting mosses, other fungi, insects, or vascular plants. The family Tremellaceae, within the order Tremellales, is distinguished by basidia that are longitudinally or obliquely septate or divided. Fungi in the class Tremellomycetes can be parasitic or saprotrophic, and while they may have gelatinous fruiting bodies, these are not always present.123

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

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.