Metasequoia or Ginko mycorrhizae

[Jerry Haugen]

Mycos wrote:

> 
>    What does the fossil record contain regarding higher fungi? I
> realize that fungi do not lend themselves well to fossilization but
> surely there must be a few instances discovered. Any and all related
> info on the subject will be welcome. Thanks.
> 
>                              Gary Williams <williams at netshop.net>

I though no one would ever ask, but there is a web page devoted to this 
very topic, with a picture:
http://ucmp1.berkeley.edu/fungi/fungifr.html

Also, Bryce Kendrick notes on page 262 of his book "The Fifth Kingdom" 
that:
 "The relationships presumeably developed in more than one direction: 
some fungi remained saprobic; others became destructive parasites, 
causing wilts and root rots; yet others evolved into a mutually 
beneficial symbiosis.  Proof of this lies in the fact that fossils of 
some Devonian plants contain well-preserved fungal structures just like 
those we can find in the roots of more than 90% of healthy modern plant 
species."

-Jerry-
-- 
Jerry Haugen
The Mushroom Growers' Newsletter
P.O. Box 5065
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
USA
MycoWrld at cdsnet.net
http://www.cdsnet.net/Business/mushroom/