Morphology of Ectomycorrhizal System (Dissection Microscope)

An ectomycorrhizal system has a continuous mantle and is usually branched.

Branching

monopodial pinnate: a mycorrhizal system with an axis from which branches originate that are shorter than the axis and lie more or less in one plane

monopodial pyramidal: like monopodial pinnate, but the branches lie in 3 or more planes

dichotomous: the root meristem divides in two branches that grow to similar lengths and may divide and grow repeatedly

tuberculate: very densely branched and enveloped by a dense mat of hyphae (the rind); shaped like a small potato; individual tips are seen if the rind is removed or the tubercle is cut

irregular: without a main axis or regular dichotomies

not branched: simple, unbranched mycorrhizae

coralloid: very densely branched, resembling coral

Tip shape

A tip of an ectomycorrhiza is a distal unbranched section (see Dimensions-Length of tips, b, below). Axes are parts of ectomycorrhizal systems other than tips.

straight: linear, smooth sided

beaded: like a string of beads

club-shaped: wider at apices than at bases

tortuous: tips bent or curved several times, most tips not in one plane

bent: curved or kinked, each tip lies in one plane

Dimensions

Dimensions are given as means and range, e.g. 0.45 (0.30-0.75)mm.

a = Length of System (mm)
b = Length of Tips (mm)
c = Width of Tips (mm)
d = Width of main Axis (mm)
e = Width of tip Base (mm)

Texture

smooth: with little or no texture and few or no emanating hyphae

grainy: with small papillae or grains, like fine or medium grained sandpaper

felty: with appressed hyphae or hyphal strands, like coarsely felted woo

velvety: like velvet cloth, caused by short emanating hyphae

warty: with tubercles or warts, like coarse sandpape

wooly: with copious thick emanating hyphae and hyphal strands

cottony:with copious thin emanating hyphae, individual hyphae not distinct

stringy: with small hyphal strands on surface

spiny: with conspicuous stiff cystidia that are either short (long

Lustre

matte: surface of ectomycorrhiza is neither shiny nor reflective
shiny: lustrous, especially if obliquely lit
reflective: Light is reflected by many air bubbles trapped in surface hyphae, often in a mantle of loosely woven hyphae, gleaming or brilliant. Reflectivity is lost when the trapped air is replaced by water during storage, by various chemicals, or by touching.