A morphogenetic analysis of the basic characters of the gasteromycetes and their relation to other basidiomycetes

Comparison of all presently available data on gasteromycetoid structure and development allows reassessment and leads to rectification of some questionable ideas about the relation of gasteromycetes to Agaricales. The gasteroid features which are dealt with are those which are particularly relevant to this subject. Some important, but specifically taxonomic, features are left out of the discussion. The loss of violent spore discharge is the only criterion to characterise basidiomycetes which have been united under the term gasteromycetes. Gasteromycetoid adaptations have probably arisen in the distant past at successive levels of basidiomycete evolution. Sometimes the shape of gasteromycetes is reminiscent of one of the groups from which they have descended and in other cases they have been subjected to an unique evolution in response to challenge by particular ecological requirements regarding spore dispersal.