Macroscopically they resemble waxy species of Exidiopsis, but are distinguished microscopically by the presence of gloeocystidia and "myxarioid" basidia (vertically sepate with an enucleate stalk cell).

Bourdotia was originally published in 1908 by Italian mycologist Giacomo Bresadola as a subgenus of Sebacina, a genus then used for any species with tremelloid (vertically septate) basidia and effused basidiocarps.

Many additional effused species with gloeocystidia were subsequently described in Bourdotia until 1963 when Canadian mycologist E. Robena Luck-Allen transferred the majority into the genus Basidiodendron which she considered distinct.

[1] Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has confirmed Luck-Allen's separation of Basidiodendron and Bourdotia.

[2][3] Sequencing of the type species, Bourdotia galzinii, has shown that the genus is close to Ductifera (which also has gloeocystidia) and may not be distinct.