The Development of Gelasinospora Reticulospora

The developmental morphology of Gelasinospora reticulospora has been studied utilizing plastic embedding and freeze-substitution fixation. Perithecia develop from initials composed of an ascogonial coil surrounded by an envelope. Both envelope hyphae and cells of the ascogonial coil contribute to paraphyses and pseudoparenchyma of young perithecia. The pseudoparenchymatous layer becomes compressed by developing asci; the paraphyses swell, giving then a pseudoparenchyma-like appearance at maturity. No cavity forms during development. Gelasinospora reticulospora is representative of the Sordaria centrum type which is discussed briefly in relation to the Diaporthe and Xylaria types.