Pictorial supplement to The Fifth Kingdom - Chapter 5a

Subphylum Basidiomycotina - Introduction 
(11 pictures, 1 animation)

Holobasidiomycetes - TEM section through a dolipore septum    X 80,000

Holobasidiomycetes - TEM section through a clamp connection    X 30,000

Holobasidiomycetes - clamped hyphae (phase contrast illumination)    X 800

Holobasidiomycetes - animation showing karyology (nuclear behaviour) during spore formation by a basidium

Cartoon of the ascomycete-basidiomycete comparison

Holobasidiomycetes - basidia of Coprinus.  Note that the nuclei have not yet migrated into the basidiospores.

Holobasidiomycetes - SEM of asymmetrically borne basidiospores (this indicates that they are ballistospores)

Holobasidiomycetes - TEM of section through a sterigma bearing a ballistosporic basidiospore.

Holobasidiomycetes - drop coalescence with water film on spore as the trigger and energy source for basidiospore discharge, from Webster et al. (1988) Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 91: 193-203.

Holobasidiomycetes - a young basidium of Russula.  Note that the spores are borne asymmetrically.

Holobasidiomycetes - basidium of a sequestrate basidiomycete, Gastrocybe, in which the basidiospores are symmetrically mounted, and are not forcibly discharged.

Holobasidiomycetes - typical fan-like mycelium spreading across rotting wood.

© Mycologue Publications 2001