Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi, which are a separate kingdom from plants. While the word mushroom has been loosely used to refer to various types of fungi, it typically refers to the fruiting bodies of fungi, which are the visible parts that produce spores. The standard methods for mushroom identification involve medieval and Victorian-era practices combined with microscopic examination. However, modern identification is increasingly relying on molecular techniques.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Botanical Definition | Mushrooms are not plants, they are part of the Fungi kingdom |
| Scientific Study | Botany is the scientific study of plants, whereas the study of mushrooms falls under mycology |
| Reproduction | Mushrooms reproduce by producing spores, not seeds |
| Identification | Modern identification of mushrooms is becoming molecular, but standard methods are still used by most |
| Morphology | Most mushrooms are gilled and basidiomycetes, but some have pores or spines |
| Culinary Use | Mushrooms can be edible, poisonous, or unpalatable |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are fungi, not plants
Mushrooms are not plants, they are fungi. Fungi are their own kingdom, separate from animals (Animalia) and plants (Plantae). While mushrooms were long classified as plants, we now know that fungi are, in fact, more closely related to animals than to plants.
Fungi reproduce by producing spores, which are not exactly like the seeds of the plant kingdom. Spores are an asexual form of reproduction and are so light and small that they travel on the gentlest of air currents. Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. The part of the fungus that grows underground is called mycelium, and the mushrooms fruit above ground.
Plants, on the other hand, reproduce by making seeds. They take in carbon and expel oxygen, whereas fungi need oxygen to thrive and expel carbon. Furthermore, plants have a common ancestor, while fungi have their own unique ancestor.
The misclassification of mushrooms as plants in the past has led to some curious events. For example, the earliest description of fungi pathogenic to insects was likely by French entomologist René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur. However, understanding how fungi are distinct from plants is important because how we classify organisms affects how we understand, support, and engage with them.
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Fungi are their own kingdom
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi, which are distinct from plants and animals. Fungi are now considered a separate kingdom, with an estimated 2.2 million to 3.8 million species, of which only about 148,000 have been described. This kingdom is referred to as the "fungus kingdom" or "Kingdom Fungi".
Before the introduction of molecular methods for phylogenetic analysis, taxonomists considered fungi to be members of the plant kingdom due to similarities in lifestyle, general morphology, and growth habitat. Fungi and plants are both mainly immobile, and they often grow in the same environments, such as in soil. Mushrooms, the fruit-like structures of fungi, can also resemble plants such as mosses. However, this classification was inaccurate, and fungi are now known to have diverged from plants and animals around one billion years ago, at the start of the Neoproterozoic Era.
Fungi have a worldwide distribution and can be found in a diverse range of habitats, including extreme environments such as deserts, areas with high salt concentrations or ionizing radiation, and deep sea sediments. Some fungi can even survive the intense UV and cosmic radiation encountered during space travel. While most grow in terrestrial environments, several species live partly or entirely in aquatic habitats.
Fungi reproduce by producing spores, which are located underneath the cap of the mushroom. In contrast, plants reproduce by producing seeds. The stalk of the mushroom contains all the nutrients required for spore production.
The classification of fungi into the Kingdom Fungi is the result of collaborative research by dozens of mycologists and other scientists working on fungal taxonomy. However, there is no universally accepted system at the higher taxonomic levels, and name changes are frequent. Advances in molecular genetics have led to the incorporation of DNA analysis into taxonomy, challenging historical groupings based solely on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies have helped reshape the classification within the fungus kingdom, which currently consists of one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.
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Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi
The mushroom is the result of the intensive growth of the fungus, which then enters a reproductive phase by forming and releasing spores. These spores are usually single cells produced by the fragmentation of mycelium or within specialised structures. The spores are located in the gills, which are the lines on the underside of the mushroom cap. The stalk of the mushroom contains the nutrients required to produce these spores.
Fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of two nuclei when two sex cells unite. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, is simpler and does not require input from another individual. It can occur through various methods, such as fragmentation, budding, or producing spores.
The spores are released from the mushroom and dispersed from the parent organism by floating on the wind or hitching a ride on an animal. These spores are smaller and lighter than plant seeds, and a single mushroom can release trillions of spores. This increases the likelihood of landing in an environment that will support growth.
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Mushrooms produce spores, not seeds
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. They are often referred to as "fruiting bodies", a residual term from when they were considered plants. However, mushrooms are not plants, and therefore, they do not produce seeds. Instead, they produce spores.
The spores are located in the gills, which are the lines you can see underneath the cap of a mushroom. The stalk of the mushroom holds all the nutrients required to produce spores. A common field mushroom can produce one billion offspring in a single day, and this tremendous reproductive output occurs in the gills.
The spores are released from the gills and travel from the mushroom along wind currents. When they land in a moist place, they germinate. Each spore grows a network of fine threads called hyphae, which spread over and through the food. The hyphae release chemicals that dissolve the food, and the digested nutrients are then absorbed by the growing fungus.
Spores are usually haploid and grow into mature haploid individuals through mitotic division of cells. Under favourable conditions, the spore can develop into a new organism using mitotic division, producing a multicellular gametophyte, which eventually goes on to produce gametes. Two gametes fuse to form a zygote, which develops into a new sporophyte. This cycle is known as alternation of generations.
The main difference between spores and seeds as dispersal units is that spores are unicellular, while seeds contain a developing embryo. Spores are also more subject to fungal and bacterial predation than seeds because they contain almost no food reserve.
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Botanical vs culinary definitions of 'fruit'
In botanical terms, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. In culinary terms, fruit refers to the sweet and fleshy parts of plants that are typically edible in their raw state, such as apples, bananas, and grapes. While most botanical fruits are also considered culinary fruits, there are exceptions. For example, tomatoes are considered fruits in botanical terms but are culinarily used almost exclusively as vegetables. Similarly, pumpkins and other winter squash are fruits in botanical terms due to their seeds, but they are culinarily treated as vegetables.
On the other hand, some culinary fruits are not considered botanical fruits. Strawberries, for instance, are considered "accessory fruits" or "false fruits" in botanical terms because the sweet fleshy part is accessory tissue derived from the receptacle that holds the ovaries, rather than the ovaries themselves. Additionally, spices like black pepper, chili pepper, cumin, and allspice are botanically classified as fruits, but they are not typically considered culinary fruits.
The distinction between botanical and culinary definitions of fruit can be confusing, especially when certain foods, like tomatoes, fall into both categories depending on the context. This discrepancy arises from the different ways scientists and cooks categorise foods. Botanists identify plant parts based on their function, while culinary traditions often rely on prescientific groupings that are influenced by how the product is used in cooking.
Mushrooms, which are the reproductive structures of fungi, are referred to as "fruiting bodies" because the word "fruit" refers to analogous structures in botany. However, mushrooms are not considered fruits in either a botanical or culinary sense. While they may be called fruiting bodies, this is a residual term from when they were considered plants. Fungi are their own kingdom, separate from plants, and they reproduce by producing spores rather than seeds. Therefore, mushrooms cannot be classified as fruits, even though they share some similarities in function.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are not botanical. Mushrooms are fungi, which are their own kingdom, separate from plants.
Mushrooms reproduce by producing spores. These spores are located in the gills, which are the lines you can see underneath the cap of the mushroom.
Some common types of mushrooms include chanterelles, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms, and fly agarics.
