Fungi Dichotomous Key

1a. Sexual spores produced in ascus................................................go to 2

b. Sexual spores not produced in ascus..........................................go to 3

2a. Species are barely visible and live on dung………………………Saccobolus sp.

b. Highly prized edible fungi; asci line in large pits…………………Morchella sp.

3a. Sexual spores produced in basidium……………………………..go to 4

b. Sexual spores not produced in basidium………………………...go to 5

4a. Release spores through a hole (ostiole) or when mushroom ruptures……..Lycodperdon-pyriformei

b. Do not release spores through a hole (ostiole) or when mushroom ruptures……..go to 6

5a. Sexual spores produced in sporangia……………………………go to 7

b. Sexual spores not produced in sporangia……………………….go to 8

6a. Normally shaped like shelves and never soft………………….Stereum sp.

b. Basidia containing spores suspended from gill on underside of cap……..Coprinus sp.

7a. Have short-lived diploid zygosporangium and haploid sporangium containing spores that develop from it after meisois occurs in zygosprangium; causes bread to rot……….....Rhizopus stolonifer

7b. Sporangia grow overnight on animal dung and mature by early morning. Disperses spores on nearby blades of grass……………………………………………...Piobolous sp.

8a. Lichen that has a fungal mycelium, of fruticose category, small shrub appearance, and have red apothecia that are spore bearing organs…...........................Cladonia sp.

8b. A mycelium is not present; the organism behaves like a huge amoeba………Slime Mold

Pictures Associated With Key (I couldn’t fit them earlier)

1a. [pic]Ascomycetes produce sexual spores (ascospores) in a sack-like body or ascus.

2a. [pic]

2b. [pic]

3a. [pic]Spores are produced in basidia from gill of fungi.

4a. [pic]

5a. [pic]Spores are produced in sporangia in zygomycetes.

6a. [pic]

6b. [pic]

7a. [pic]

7b. [pic]

8a. [pic]

8b. [pic]