Reproduction
| General Overview |
| The first part in a blasidiomycota's life cycle is to form intricate webs of hyphae creating a mycelum. Then when two of these mycelum come into contact plasmogany occurs (fusing of the two cells) creating a dicaryote. Then during times of stress or when the food supply diminishes the dicaryote starts to undergo mitosis. This then forms the fruiting body, which is mainly comprised of dicaryotic cells contain wastes that the fungus needs to excrete. This Dicaryotes then fuse in the gills of the mushroom creating blasidia and then undergo meiosis creating basidiospores, which are then released into the environment. |
| Gymnopilus Spectabilis is usually found to be in its reproductive state from early fall to mid-winter and is found on rotting hardwood or conifers. The caps are yellow in early development then turn bright orange. The gills are bright yellow and located underneath the cap, although during reproduction the gills may appear dark because of the spores. The flesh on these mushrooms is firm and mostly very thick. The caps are also coated with fine brown fibrils. |
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