Introduction to Fungi, Third Edition

690 ANAMORPHIC FUNGI
Fig 25.15 Dendrospora erecta.
Much-branched blastoconidia formed
by repeated branching of lateral arms
which develop on all sides of the main
axis of the conidium.
Fig 25.16 Taeniomyces gracilis.
(a) Mature detached conidia. Note
the clamp connection between the
lateral arms. (b) Basidial state
(Fibulomyces sp.).
of a special separating cell at the base of the
conidium. The contents of the separating cell
disintegrate, and the cell wall breaks down at
a line of weakness near the middle. When the
conidium separates, it carries at its base a little
collar which represents half of the empty separating
cell. Similarly, the apex of the conidiophore
bears a collar after detachment of the
first conidium. The conidiophore may develop a
second conidium by percurrent extension
through the remnants of the first separating cell
and, after several conidia have been formed, a
succession of collars may be found at the tip of
the conidiophore. The teleomorph of A. longissima
is a pseudothecium-forming species of
Massarina found on twigs in streams.
A second species, A. furtiva, has conidia which
closely resemble those of A. longissima, but cultures
derived from such conidia have developed
apothecia of an inoperculate discomycete,
Pezoloma sp. In A. furtiva there is no separating
cell and conidium separation is schizolytic,
i.e. by dissolution of a septum at its base
(Descals et al., 1998). In A. crassa, which has fatter