SEPTAL ULTRASTRUCTURE IN 3 SPECIES OF TUBER (HYPOGEOUS PEZIZALES)

Ultrastructural studies of septa in ascogenous hyphae, asci, and veget ative cells were conducted on three species of Tuber. and compared wit h results obtained from several epigeous Pezizales. Septal pore organe lles in the asci and ascogenous hyphae of Tuber californicum and Tuber maculatum were similar to those in taxa of Otideaceae, while those of Tuber n.sp. J&T 6003 were like those of Helvellaceae, Morchellaceae, and Sarcosomataceae. The types of Woronin bodies associated with septa of vegetative cells were also similar to those of some Helvellaceae a nd Morchellaceae. These data indicate that Tuber may be a biological r ather than a phylogenetic taxon.