Fungal spores

Fungi have two conflicting requirements for their spores. The Spores must allow fungi to spread but they must also allow them to survive adverse conditions. These requirements are met by different types of spores. The Small light spores are carried furthest from parent mycelium in air and these are the dispersal spores. They are commonly the products of asexual sporulation the sporangiospores and the conidiospores and so spread genetically identical individuals as widely as possible. Genetic diversity is maintained through sexual reproduction and the spore products are often large resting spores that withstand adverse conditions but remain close to their site of formation. Spores therefore vary greatly in size, shape and ornamentation and this variation reflects specialization of purpose.

                                          Figure.  Structure of sexual sporocarps in the Basidiomycetes