Variation in Fruit Bodies of Cyathus stercoreus Produced in Culture

Abstract

The coprophilous bird''s-nest fungus, C. stercoreus. was induced to fruit in pure culture on a nutrient agar to which filter paper was added. Over 100 diploid mycelia were obtained by crossing compatible haploids, the haploids all the progeny of spores of one peridiole of a wild fruit body. The different diploid mycelia produced fruit bodies of several distinct types, some so unlike the original parental wild type as to bear little superficial resemblance to C. stercoreus. The most distinctive types of fruit bodies illustrated and descr. are: a small deep brown abortive form; a tall slender very pale form with red brown base; a flat saucer-shaped form with sulcate cup; a dwarf form and a gray form with a bright rust-colored cap. The studies indicate that the great variability in this fungus as seen in collections from nature has, in part at least, a genetic basis.