Figure 1.

Ballistospore launching in a gilled mushroom. (a) Vertical section of a Panaeolus campanulatus sporocarp. (b) Magnified view depicting the vertically orientated gills (shaded area) on which spores are formed. The trajectories of the launched spores are indicated by arrowed light grey lines. (c) Further magnified view showing the trajectories of the spores discharged from the sterigmata on a single vertical gill. At the base of the launched spore is a liquid droplet resulting from the drop coalescence that powers the explosive launch. Images adapted from figs 84, 85 and 97 of volume 2 by Buller [1]. (Online version in colour.)