Basidiomycetes, the large class to which most mushrooms belong, is divided into Homobasidiae and Heterobasidiae. Fruiting bodies of fungi Heterobasidiae have no stalks, and they are divided into three groups, based on the shape and structure, of the spore-bearing basidia. Dacromycetales have a characteristic tuning fork-shaped basidia. Auriculariaceae have a cylindrical basidia with cross-walls, and Tremellaceae have basidia with longitudinal walls. Among edible mushrooms of Heterobasidiae, fruitingbodies of Auricularia auricula--judae, commonly known as "Kikurage," or "Tree-ear" in English; and A. polytricha, "Akakikurage," and Tremella fuciformis Berk, called "Shirokikurage," or White Jelly-leaf, are most popular. They are cultivated in Japan, China, and other Oriental countries. From ancient times, these mushrooms have been widely used in Chinese cuisines for their characteristic textures. Recently, they have also attracted attention as sources of dietary fibers for the prevention of geriatricdisorders. Also, like other mushrooms, considerable attention has been drawn to the immunopharmacological activities, such as ahtitumor activities, exhibited by their nonstarchy polysaccharide constituents, especially, (1 --> 3)-β-D-glucans through stimulation of host-mediated actions.
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