The coarser hyphae have a general tubular shape, with uneven surfaces due to the senescence of laterals. If the walls of these spores thicken, they may function as resting stages of the fungi. In Acaulospora and Entrophospora , spores with a similar function are formed within the hypha, anterior to the terminus. The fungi may also form terminal blastic vesicles which retain thin walls and collapse over time. In some genera, spores may be formed singly or in compound structures called sporocarps.
Sporocarps usually contain more than one spore, and in some cases, many thousands of spores.
The sporocarp is similar within a population, though may differ enormously in complexity within a genus. The most complex sporocarps have an outer peridium and be attached to the soil surface by a stipe. The spore aggregations may be organised around sporogenous hyphae, or appear as irregular and open clusters. Sporocarps are more commonly formed by fungi that are found in relatively undisturbed soil. Fungi of agricultural soils tend to only form single spores, though a few species form both.