Cryptococcus
/ˌkrɪptə(ʊ)ˈkɒkəs/Mycology and Medicine
noun
A genus of unicellular, yeastlike fungi which includes the pathogenic species Cryptococcus neoformans; (also cryptococcus) a fungus of this genus, especially C. neoformans.
- Valid publication of the genus name: P. Vuillemin 1901, in Rev. gén. des sci. 12 735).Cryptococci are anamorphs of basidiomycetes of the genera Filobasidiella and Filobasidium. Torula is another name that has been used for the genus..
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Records of General Science. From scientific Latin Cryptococcus, genus name from classical Latin crypto- + scientific Latin coccus.