4/27/2018 Hymenium - Wikipedia

Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or
asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others
some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia (basidiomycetes) or paraphyses (ascomycetes). Cystidia are often
important for microscopic identification. The subhymenium consists of the supportive hyphae from which the cells of
the hymenium grow, beneath which is the hymenophoral trama, the hyphae that make up the mass of the
hymenophore.

The position of the hymenium is traditionally the first characteristic used in the classification and identification of
mushrooms. Below are some examples of the diverse types which exist among the macroscopic Basidiomycota and
Ascomycota.

In agarics, the hymenium is on the vertical faces of the gills.

In boletes, it is in a spongy mass of downward-pointing tubes.
In puffballs, it is internal.
In stinkhorns, it develops internally and then is exposed in the form of a foul-smelling gel.
In cup fungi, it is on the concave surface of the cup.
In teeth fungi, it grows on the outside of tooth-like spines.

Gallery

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4/27/2018 Hymenium - Wikipedia

Gills of the Fly Agaric The bolete Slippery Jack Giant Puffball Calvatia A Stinkhorn, Phallus
Amanita muscaria (Suillus luteus) with gigantea impudicus
bright yellow pores

The cup fungus The large angular pores

Sarcoscypha austriaca of Polyporus alveolaris,
the hexagonal-pored
polypore

References
Régis Courtecuisse, Bernard Duhem : Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe (Delachaux & Niestlé, 1994–
2000). ISBN 2-603-00953-2

External links
IMA Mycological Glossary: Hymenium (http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/greatlakesdata/Terms/hymen16.html)
IMA Mycological Glossary: Subhymenium (http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/greatlakesdata/Terms/subhy496.htm
l)
APSnet Illustrated Glossary of Plant Pathology: Hymenium (https://web.archive.org/web/20060527141015/http://www.
apsnet.org/education/IllustratedGlossary/PhotosE-H/hymenium.htm) Hymenium of an ascomycete, Monilinia
fructicola
Jack Murphy Mycological Images: Hymenium (https://web.archive.org/web/20070320055519/http://calvin.linfield.edu/
~jmurphy/mycology/images/basidiomycota/basidia%20spores%20russula%20laurocerasi.JPG) Hymenium of a
basidiomycete, Russula laurocerasi

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This page was last edited on 26 March 2018, at 00:46.

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