The spore producing layer of wood decay fungi is called the hymenium. Each particular decay fungus species will produce one of the different types of spore bearing types: gills, pores, teeth, daedaloid or lamellae, or smooth. The observation of the type, appearance, size and location of the hymenium is critical to proper identification. Most decay fungi produce their hymenium on the lower surface or underside of the fruiting structure.
Gills are found exclusively on the annual decay fungi that are typically referred to as mushrooms. Gills are found on the underside of the top or cap and can be different colored than the rest of the mushroom. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the top or cap and place the cap on a light colored piece of paper to obtain a spore print of the fungus (Photograph 2).
Several decay fungi have a spore producing layer that has teeth. Since there are relatively few decay fungi with this type of hymenium, its presence greatly narrows the number of species for identification.
The majority of decay fungi on urban trees have pores of varying sizes for their spore producing layer. The pores may range from barely visible to the naked eye to large and easily observable. The pores openings may have several characteristics such as being angular or round that can help in species identification. Other features of the pore layer such as its color and whether it bruises on touch are also important identifying features of some decay fungi.
This pore layer is also referred to as maze-like and is a cross between pores and gills. Several decay fungi have a true daedaloid spore layer, while other that appear somewhat maze-like are still grouped with the pored fungi.
Some wood decay fungi do not produce a noticeably different spore producing layer, or the spore producing structures are buried in stromatic or fungal growth so they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Several fungi are sterile and produce only a smooth conk without any spore bearing layer. All these fungi are grouped here under smooth pore layers as observed with the naked eye.
Tabaka linalotokeza spora za kuharibika kwa mbao huitwa hymenium. Kila aina ya kuharibika kwa uyoga hutokeza moja ya aina tofauti za spora: gills, pores, meno, daedaloid au lamellae, au laini. Uchunguzi wa aina, muonekano, ukubwa na eneo la hymenium ni muhimu kwa utambulisho sahihi. Uyoga mwingi wa kuoza hutokeza hymenium yao kwenye sehemu ya chini au chini ya muundo wa matunda. Gills hupatikana tu kwenye kuvu za uharibifu wa kila mwaka ambazo kwa kawaida huitwa uyoga. Vipande vya magamba hupatikana chini ya kifuniko au kifuniko na vinaweza kuwa na rangi tofauti na sehemu nyingine za uyoga. Katika baadhi ya kesi, inaweza kuwa muhimu kuondoa juu au cap na kuweka cap juu ya kipande cha karatasi ya rangi ya mwanga ili kupata spora alama ya kuvu. Vimelea kadhaa vya kuoza vina tabaka linalotokeza spora ambalo lina meno. Kwa kuwa kuna aina chache za kuharibika kwa kuvu na aina hii ya hymenium, uwepo wake hupunguza sana idadi ya spishi kwa ajili ya utambulisho. Wengi wa kuharibika fungi juu ya miti ya mijini kuwa pores ya ukubwa tofauti kwa ajili ya spora yao kuzalisha safu. Matofali hayo yanaweza kuwa makubwa na yanaweza kuonekana kwa urahisi. Vifungu vya pores vinaweza kuwa na sifa kadhaa kama vile kuwa angular au mviringo ambayo inaweza kusaidia katika utambulisho wa spishi. Vipengele vingine vya safu ya pore kama vile rangi yake na kama hufadhaika wakati wa kugusa pia ni muhimu kutambua sifa za baadhi ya kuharibika kwa kuvu. Safu hii ya pores pia inajulikana kama maze-kama na ni msalaba kati ya pores na gills. Fungi kadhaa za kuoza zina tabaka la kweli la spora za daedaloid, wakati wengine ambao huonekana kama labyrinth bado wamegawanywa na fungi za pored. Baadhi ya kuharibika kwa mbao huunda spora tofauti, au muundo wa kuunda spora hufunikwa katika ukuaji wa stromatic au fungal, hivyo hawawezi kuonekana kwa jicho la kawaida. Fungi kadhaa ni zisizo na mbegu na hutokeza tu konki laini bila tabaka lolote lenye spora. Fungi hizi zote zimegawanywa hapa chini ya tabaka la pores laini kama inavyoonekana kwa jicho la kawaida.