Critical ecological research on belowground ecosystems has often been impeded because of the inability to adequately recognize ectomycorrhizal relationships, especially the abundance, diversity, and distribution of the fungus component, and the specificity of particular fungus–host combinations. Red alder, with its high degree of host specificity and paucity of fungal symbionts, provides an ideal model for studying these attributes. Eleven morphologically recognizable types of ectomycorrhizae were characterized from field-collected root material, greenhouse soil bioassays, and laboratory syntheses. Most mycobionts were basidiomycetes, as evidenced by abundant clamp connections present in the mantle and extramatrical hyphae. Seven mycobionts identified to species included Alpova diplophloeus, Thelephora terrestris, Lactarius obscuratus, Cortinarius bibulus, Laccaria laccata, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, and Paxillus involutus. Many of the ectomycorrhizae collected in the field appeared to have more than one mycobiont present in the mantle. Root tips could generally be categorized into either flexuous or succulent morphological types. The flexuous types were long, thin, indeterminate in growth, with an acute root apex, and the mantle and Hartig net in longitudinal section were not well formed near the root apex. The succulent types were short, thick, determinate in growth, with a rounded root apex, and the mantle and Hartig net in longitudinal section were well formed near the root apex. Additional characteristics important in distinguishing among red alder ectomycorrhizal types included color, extent of extramatrical hyphae development, mantle surface characteristics, and selected microchemical reactions. Mantle thickness was highly variable and not useful in characterization. Hartig net development was shallow, and regardless of mycorrhizal origin, rarely extended beyond one epidermal cell layer. Key words: ectomycorrhizae, Alnus, characterization, ecology, belowground.