False-colour scanning electron micrograph of the interior of the edible mushroom Coprinus dissemin- atus, commonly known as the crumble cap. The visib


False-colour scanning electron micrograph of the interior of the edible mushroom Coprinus dissemin- atus, commonly known as the crumble cap. The visible mushroom is a \fruit body\" which appears only after years of growth of the fungus in the soil. The fruit body produces millions of special cells called basidia from a surface layer known as the hymenium. In this micrograph, the basidia are the elliptical cells at top; at bottom is the hymenial layer in cross-section. Sexual union occurs in the basidia, & results in formation of small cells, or basidiospores, which are released & dispersed by air currents to found new colonies of the fungus. Magnification: x680 at 35mm size. Yellow tint. Ref.: MICROCOSMOS, figure , page 106."


Size: 4754px × 3756px
Photo credit: © BIOPHOTO ASSOCIATES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: basidium, body, cap, coprinus, crumble, disseminatus, eumycota, fruit, fungal, fungi, fungus, hymenial, layer, mushroom, mycology, nature, naturemycology, sem, type