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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.


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