Fungal Word Friday: Dolipore Septum

We have talked about the septum before, a divider that grows within the hyphae of several filamentous fungi. But today I bring you a specific type of septum, the dolipore septum.

 

Dolipore Septum

This septum is found in basidiomycetes and the first thing you can tell by its name is that it has a pore, which means it is a partial septum. But what makes it unique is that at the end of each side (near the pore) the septum is swollen, this creates an elongated channel out of the typical pore opening.

So, in a simple one sentence definition:  A dolipore septum is a septum, charataristic of basidiomycetes, that enlarges near the pore in order to form an elongate channel.



Photo cred: Merideth Blackwell of Ball State University http://www.bsu.edu/classes/ruch/msa/blackwell/9-33.jpg