Difference between revisions of "Primal thallus"

'''primal thallus''' ([[Category:Noun]][[:Category:Noun|noun]], ''pl.'' primal thalli) – an undifferentiated mycelium forming the first, purely fungal layer upon which a [[photobiont]]-containing [[thallus]] may develop, sometimes persistent as [[prothallus]] or [[hypothallus]]. ''Comment:'' The term [[primal thallus]] is introduced here to resolve conflicting use of the terms [[prothallus]] versus [[hypothallus]] by various authors. The prefix ''[[pro...|pro–]]'' means both ''before'' (temporarily) as well as ''in front'' (spatially). Thus "[[prothallus]]" refers to a thallus developing ''before'' the establishment of the main thallus as well as ''along the periphery'' of the main thallus. The prefix "[[hypo...|hypo–]]" means "below" and would thus refer to a thallus developing under and therefore also before a main thallus. ''Related terms:'' [[prothallus]], [[hypothallus]], [[main thallus]], [[spongiostratum]].