Sterile cells that differ clearly from the surrounding cells. Cystidia occur in the hymenium (hymenial cystidia), on the gill edge (cheilocystidia), on the gill surface (pleurocystidia), in the pileipellis (pileocystidia) and on the stipe surface (caulocystidia). Cystidia whose refractive contents turn yellow with KOH (potassium hydroxide) are called chrysocystidia. Cystidia with oily contents are called gloeocystidia; their contents turn wine-red with sulfovanillin.

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