EXP 402 final: Spore discharge and disperal in mushroom

• School: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University - TNAU
• Department: Agriculture
• Course: EXP 402

Document Summary

Mushrooms are basidiomycetes with numerous basidia on each gill. A typical basidium is a club-shaped structure, usually with four prongs at one end. Each such prong is called a sterigma (with sterigmata the plural form) and the spores develop at the tips of the sterigmata. Here is a stylized drawing of a basidium, shown in green, with four brown spores. The colours in this diagram (and in the ones to follow) have no significance and are simply used to help differentiate the different structures. Moreover, the diagrams are stylized (rather than being faithful depictions of actual specimens) but illustrate the important structural features and principles involved. Remember that most mushrooms have gills that are v-shaped in cross section (with the point of the v at the bottom of the gill) and are oriented vertically. The basidia are held out from the gill surface and protrude into the air space between two gills.