The type species is a fungal parasite forming small gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) on various ascomycetous fungi (including Lasiobolus and Thelebolus spp) on dung.

[1] Microscopically, it has auricularioid (laterally septate) basidia producing basidiospores that germinate by budding off yeast cells.

[2] The yeasts Cystobasidium minutum and C. calyptogenae are rare but known human pathogens.

Its main distinguishing feature (microscopically) was the swollen, cyst-like probasidia from which the basidia emerge.

In 1999, British mycologist Peter Roberts noted that Tremella fimetaria Schum.