The intent of this publication is to bring together reviews and discussions from several disciplines, all treating the basidium and basidiocarp of the Basidiomy cotina (= basidiomycetes), a subdivision of the true or higher fungi. Because the workers who study the species of this group employ such a variety of techniques and publish in such diverse journals, we believe that bringing together these efforts in one publication will facilitate a synopsis of recent studies of several divergent disciplines. Correlation of such information may not only aid in the reevaluation of broad taxonomic and biological concepts but also provide a key to the specialists in the rethinking of the data available within the confines of the more restricted disciplines. We have attempted to cover the major areas of studies of species of the Basidiomycotina within the past decade or so with the exception of genetics and compatibility, which have recently been reviewed in several other works. A problem we have not been able to solve satisfactorily is the one of vocabulary. Each discipline tends to develop its own language as it becomes increasingly specialized, with time becoming unintelligible to the majority. We have tried to alleviate this problem of terms but can not claim to have been completely successful. We are indebted to a great many people, but especially to the contributors. They have been most patient and cooperative throughout.

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References.- 1 The Significance of the Morphology of the Basidium in the Phylogeny of Basidiomycetes.- Heterobasidiomycetes.- Uredinales.- Septobasidiales.- Ustilaginales s. str..- Auriculariales.- Tremellales.- Holobasidiate Taxa.- Basidiomycete Yeasts and Yeast-like Taxa.- Homobasidiomycetes.- References.- 2 Ultrastructure and Cytochemistry of Basidial and Basidiospore Development.- Basidial Initiation.- Storage Product Accumulation.- Wall Development in the Basidium.- Basidial Septation.- Sterigmal Initiation.- Basidiospore Formation.- Cytoplasmic Differentiation at the Septal Pore.- Vacuolation of Maturing Basidia.- Endomembrane System.- Other Organelles.- Experimental Control of Late Basidial Development.- Materials and Methods.- Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 3 Meiotic Divisions in the Basidium.- Methods.- The Sequence of Meiosis.- Discussion.- References.- 4 Replication of Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Crossing Over in Coprinus.- An Overview of the System.- Premeiotic DNA Replication.- Genetic Recombination.- Recombination, a Coordinated Program of the Meiotic Cell Cycle.- Concluding Remarks.- References.- 5 Biochemical and Genetic Studies on the Initial Events of Fruitbody Formation.- Detection of Fruitbody-Inducing Substance.- Regulation of Cyclic AMP Level and Fruiting.- Existence of Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases.- Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism by Cyclic AMP.- Possible Role of Cyclic AMP in Fruiting.- References.- 6 Control of Stipe Elongation by the Pileus and Mycelium in Fruitbodies of Flammulina velutipes and Other Agaricales.- Role of the Pileus in Stipe Elongation of Agaricales.- Relationship Between Stipe Elongation and the Mycelium.- Plant Growth Regulators and Nucleotides in Relation to Fruitbody Growth.- Recent Studies on Flammulina velutipes.- Discussion.- References.- 7 Metabolic Control of Fruitbody Morphogenesis in Coprinus cinereus.- Materials and Methods.- Results.- Discussion.- Concluding Remarks.- References.- Author Index.