Abstract
Apothecial ontogeny in Saccobolus versicolor was followed by scanning electron and light microscopy from ascogonial coil initiation through spore discharge. Several slender, recurved branches functioned as ascogonia and initiated apothecium formation. Since antheridia were never observed, development was assumed to be parthenogenetic. Soon after ascogonia appeared, slender investing hyphae grew up from nearby vegetative hyphae and from the ascogonium. Subsequently, the basal cells in the ascogonia greatly increased in diameter and their septa broke down. Apothecium ontogeny was either eugymnohymenial with a poorly developed ectal excipulum or paragymnohymenial opening in the prehymenial phase. As a result of the presence of several functional ascogonia, asci developed by typical crozier formation and exhibited a strong positive phototrophic response as they protruded before spore discharge.
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