A simple sporophore may be merely a single short hypha, the end of which stops growing and becomes cut off as a conidium by the formation of a septum, which then splits and allows the conidium to fall.
According to the characters of the last, we might theoretically divide them into conidiophores, sporangiophores, gametophores, oidiophores, &c.; but since the two latter rarely occur, and more than one kind of spore or spore-case may occur on a sporophore, it is impossible to carry such a scheme fully into practice.
By this means the temperature of the sporophore is raised and the difference between it and the surrounding air may be one of several degrees.
Here we have the cushion-like type (stroma) of Nectria and many Pyrenomycetes, the clavate "receptacle" of Clavaria, &c., passing into the complex forms met with in Sparassis, Xylaria, Polyporei, and Agaricini, &c. In these cases the compound sporophore is often termed the hymenophore, and its various parts demand special names (pileus, stipes, gills, po--es, &c.) to denote peculiarities of distribution of the hymenium owlthe surface.
Hirneola (Auricularia) Auricula-Judae is the well-known Jew's Ear, so named from the resemblance of the sporophore to a human ear.
Most of Basidiomycetes are characterized by the large sporophore on which the basidia with its basidiospores are borne.
Since in such cases the sporophore bears sexual cells, they may be conveniently termed gametophores.
The simple sporophore does not necessarily terminate in conidia, however.
The sporophore is obsolete when the spore-bearing hyphae are not sharply distinct from the mycelium, simple when the constituent hyphae are isolated, and compound when the latter are conjoined.
The term "receptacle" sometimes applied to these spore-bearing _ hyphae is better replaced by sporophore.
They are characterized by their gelatinous consistence and large size of their sporophore.