Teliospore


Teliospore is the thick-walled resting spore of some fungi, from which the basidium arises.

Development

They develop in telia.
The telial host is the primary host in heteroecious rusts. The aecial host is the alternate host.
These terms apply when two hosts are required by a heteroecious rust fungus to complete its life cycle.

Morphology

Teliospores consist of one, two or more dikaryote cells.
Teliospores are often dark-coloured and thick-walled, especially in species where they overwinter.
Two-celled teliospores formerly defined the genus Puccinia. Here the wall is particularly thick at the tip of the terminal cell which extends into a beak in some species.
Teliospores consist of dikaryote cells. As the teliospore cells germinate, the nuclei undergo karyogamy and thereafter meiosis, giving rise to a four-celled basidium with haploid basidiospores.