Which organisms are known to reproduce through budding?

Budding is a form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud on the parent organism. This process allows organisms to reproduce without the need for fertilization, leading to a clone of the parent.

Hydras are simple, freshwater organisms belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. They can reproduce by budding, where a small bud forms and eventually detaches to become a new Hydra. Yeasts, particularly species like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also reproduce by budding. In this process, a new cell forms on the parent yeast cell and, as it grows, it eventually separates.

In contrast, while sea anemones can reproduce asexually, they primarily do so through fission rather than budding. Starfish and flatworms engage in different forms of asexual reproduction, with starfish capable of regeneration and flatworms often reproducing through fragmentation. Therefore, Hydras and yeasts are the organisms that are directly known for their ability to reproduce through the budding process.