The morphology and cultural characters of Pisolithus tinctorius (Gasteromycetes) in South Africa

Sporocarp morphology as well as surface ornamentation of the basidiospores of South African collections of Pisolithus tinctorius agree in respect of those of specimens from Australia. Cultural characters and micromorphology of isolates made from certain of these collections correspond with those of P. tinctorius cultures obtained from sporocarps of strains forming mycorrhizal associations with pines in France and the U.S.A. It is concluded that only strains of the fungus which are unable to form mycorrhizas with pines occur in South Africa