Colour Atlas of Ectomycorrhizae

Ectomycorrhizae, the symbiotic organs of fungi and roots of needle and broad-leaved trees, create distinct anatomical features. These characters are preferentially dependent, influenced and fashioned by the fungal hyphae during the ontogeny of these essentially important structures of root systems. Without ectomycorrhizae, the trees, which are completely dependent on them, are unable to grow. Many features of the ectomycorrhizae are functionally crucial, i.e. they influence the growth of trees to a different degree due to their variable anatomical differentiation. But these symbiotic organs are not only fascinating from a functional point of view, they contribute frequently to disentangle fungal relationships, because systematically related fungi often evolve ectomycorrhizae of similar anatomy. Currently, world-wide some 5,500 fungal species of a few Zygomycetes, several Ascomycetes and frequently of Hymenomycetes are suggested to form ectomycorrhizae, on most of the tree genera of seasonal climates and/or of nutrient-deficient soils, particularly on roots of, e.g. Abies, Alnus, Betula, Carpinus, Carya, Castanea, Castanopsis, Corylus, Cyclobalanopsis, Elaeocarpus, Engelhardtia, Eucalyptus, Fagus, Gilbertiodendron, Larix, Lithocarpus, Nothofagus, Picea, Pinus, Populus, Pseudotsuga, Quercus, Salix, Shorea, Tetraberlinia, and Tsuga. The Colour Atlas depicts the habit of ectomycorrhizae as well as the functionally important features of many fungal relationships and of the most important ectomycorrhizal tree genera and is going to include ectomycorrhizae from all over the world. The Colour Atlas is meanwhile a world-wide accepted and sold standard work for determination and illustrations of ectomycorrhizae, which is continuously supplemented by pictures of and information on ectomycorrhizae of additional fungi. Many of the provided illustrations show ectomycorrhizae which are identified to fungal species level, and several plates depict unidentified ectomycorrhizae, of which the fungal component is not known yet. But these samples bear their own, internationally standardized and applicable names. The heart piece of the Colour Atlas are the folded, four-page plates, which can separately be arranged in any mode, whatever users prefer. The cover page of each plate is destined for four colour photos, the second page contains legends for all pictures, information on ecology and fruitbody illustrations, and frequently in addition data on ectomycorrhiza ecology. On the remaining two pages, half-tone photos depict important anatomical features. Dichotomous keys for determination of ectomycorrhizae, each based upon a tree genus, and comprehensive synoptic tables enable users to determine ectomycorrhizae. A glossary, explanations of important features, check lists as guides to prepare descriptions of ectomycorrhizae, keys and illustrations of the anatomy of main roots, comprehensive references, and lists of contributors complement the Colour Atlas. The Colour Atlas will be complemented with one delivery of 10 – 20 plates in intervals of one or two years. The frequency of the deliveries depends upon the submitted contributions, which generally have to depict ectomycorrhizae of which characerizations are already availabale. Contemporarily, the general parts of the Colour Atlas are updated, too. Ectomycorrhizae of all forest types and of all fungal relationships around the world will be depicted as far as reserchers of ectomcorrhizal anatomy focus on such areas. The Colour Atlas, as actually it is available, contains 168 plates (see below) and the keys comprise now 406 species of ectomycorrhizae (Abies 6, Alnus 23, Betula 26, Carpinus 2, Castanopsis 1, Cistus 1, Corylus 6, Cyclobalanopsis 1, Elaeocarpus 1, Eucalyptus 5, Fagus 38, Fumana 2, Gnetum 1, Helianthemum 1, Larix 10, Nothofagus 19, Picea 96, Pinus 85, Pasania 1, Populus 7, Pseudotsuga 13, Quercus 43, Salix 4, Shorea 4, Tetraberlinia 3, Tilia 1, Tsuga 6).