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fruiting body

(pl. fruiting bodies)

Terms discussed: basidiocarp (pl. basidiocarps), basidioma (pl. basidiomata), carpophore (pl. carpophores), conidiocarp (pl. conidiocarps), conidioma (pl. conidiomata), sporocarp (pl. sporocarps), sporophore (pl. sporophores)




Photo of Ganoderma applanatum by John Denk
Ganoderma applanatum
These are all terms for the part of the fungus that produces its spores. Carpophore, sporocarp, sporophore, and fruiting body are the most general terms, referring to any such organ (okay, usually it has to be big enough to see). A basidiocarp (or basidioma) or ascocarp bears spores only on those types of cells (asci or basidia)

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A macroscopic conidia-bearing fruiting body is currently called a conidioma, but yes, it also used to be called a conidiocarp. The microscopic conidia-bearing structure, a condiophore, is more analogous to the microscopic cells that bear sexual fungal spores, basidia and asci, or perhaps to the hymenium.

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In the picture, you can see that these fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum have produced so many of their reddish brown spores that the leaves around them are thickly dusted with them.

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