Michael Davis
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, but not all fungi are mushrooms. The word mushroom typically refers to the edible sporophores of certain fungi, usually of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota. Fungi, on the other hand, encompass a diverse range of organisms, including microorganisms like yeasts and molds, as well as mushrooms. While mushrooms are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of certain fungi, fungi themselves are classified as eukaryotic organisms, distinct from plants, bacteria, and some protists due to the presence of chitin in their cell walls.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A fungus is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as mushrooms. The term "mushroom" is used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. |
| Morphology | Fungi encompass a diverse range of morphologies, including unicellular aquatic chytrids and large mushrooms. Mushrooms can have a variety of shapes, including spherical, bowl-like, planked, and wavy. Some mushrooms have gills, while others have pores or spines underneath. |
| Taxonomy | Fungi are classified as one of the traditional eukaryotic kingdoms, along with Animalia and Plantae. About 300 species of fungi are used as biocontrol agents against plant fungal diseases. Mushrooms are typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota but can also belong to other groups. |
| Ecology | Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. They acquire food by absorbing dissolved molecules and do not photosynthesize. |
| Reproduction | Both fungi and mushrooms produce spores. In fungi, spores are a means of mobility, and they can travel through air or water. In mushrooms, spores are produced on the gills and fall as a fine powder. Some mushroom spores are fertilized sexually, while others need to land nearby to produce a new mushroom. |
| Human Health | Some fungi can cause infections in humans, such as ringworm and athlete's foot. They can also cause allergies. Mushrooms can be edible, poisonous, or unpalatable. |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are a type of fungus
The term "mushroom" is also used to describe a variety of other gilled fungi, with or without stems. Some mushrooms have pores underneath and are usually called boletes, while others have spines, such as the hedgehog mushroom and other tooth fungi. The term "mushroom" is more one of common application to macroscopic fungal fruiting bodies than one having precise taxonomic meaning. Approximately 14,000 species of mushrooms are described, and they are classified according to their morphology or physiology.
Mushrooms are formed within the mycelium, the mass of thread-like hyphae that make up the fungus. The primordium enlarges into a roundish structure of interwoven hyphae, resembling an egg and called a "button". The button has a cottony roll of mycelium, the universal veil, that surrounds the developing fruit body. As the egg expands, the universal veil ruptures and may remain as a cup, or volva, at the base of the stalk, or as warts or volval patches on the cap. Many mushrooms lack a universal veil and, therefore, do not have a volva or volval patches.
Fruiting bodies of some mushrooms occur in arcs or rings called fairy rings. The mycelium starts from a spore falling in a favourable spot and producing strands (hyphae) that grow in all directions, eventually forming a circular mat of underground hyphal threads. Fruiting bodies, produced near the edge of this mat, may widen the ring for hundreds of years.
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Fungi include yeasts and moulds
The term "fungus" refers to any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and moulds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. Fungi are classified as one of the traditional eukaryotic kingdoms, along with Animalia and Plantae. They are distinguished from plants by the presence of chitin in their cell walls and their lack of chlorophyll. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs, acquiring their food by absorbing dissolved molecules and secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. They do not photosynthesize.
Yeasts are unicellular fungi that reproduce asexually through budding, producing a smaller daughter cell. Some common yeasts include Candida albicans, which is associated with infections such as vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, and candidiasis of the skin. Yeasts are also important in the production of certain foods and antibiotics. For example, genetic modification of yeast species has opened up new ways of pharmaceutical production, and they are critical for the production of certain foods, such as cheese.
Moulds, or molds, are another type of fungus. They can be distinguished from yeasts by their multicellular structure. Some moulds are plant pathogens, causing diseases in plants, while others are food spoilage moulds, commonly found on bread. Moulds also have important industrial applications, such as in the production of antibiotics, vitamins, and cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Mushrooms are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies (sporophores) of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota. They can be edible or poisonous, and the term toadstool is often reserved for inedible or poisonous sporophores. Mushrooms produce microscopic spores on their gills, which help the fungus spread across surfaces. These spores are dispersed in a fine rain of powder that falls from under the caps of the mushrooms.
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Mushrooms produce spores
Mushrooms are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota, but also of some other groups. The word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap. The gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface.
The mushroom's purpose is to create and disperse spores. A single mushroom can produce billions of spores a day. Mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi, produce the spores that allow a fungus to spread to new locations and reproduce. They have spore-producing structures or surfaces made up of sporiferous hyphae. These special hyphae produce the spores. In mushrooms with a cap, the spore-producing surface is often found on the underside of the cap. The cap functions like an umbrella, protecting the structures and spores from rain and excess sunlight.
Spore-producing structures vary from species to species, but some of the most common are gills, pores, or teeth. Many well-known gourmet mushrooms have gills, including button, cremini, portobello, oyster, and shiitake. Examples of popular mushrooms with pores are sought-after porcini and medicinal mushrooms like reishi and turkey tail. The main reason fungi produce spores is to spread and find new food sources, but they also use them to create new strains and ensure the species' survival. Although many fungi can reproduce both asexually and sexually, the new species formed when spores from two different parent fungi combine during sexual reproduction are often more adaptable. The combined traits from different parent fungi give them a greater chance of survival in less favorable environments.
Mushrooms use convectively created airflows to disperse their spores. The distance spores disperse from under the pileus does not depend on the pileus diameter or on the rate of spore production. Spores are typically deposited around mushrooms in asymmetric patterns, suggesting that one or two tongues of spore-laden air emerge from under the pileus and spores do not disperse symmetrically in all directions. These tongues of deposition were seen in wild-collected as well as cultured mushrooms. Successful dispersal requires creating an asymmetric flow of spores, by creating conditions in which the convective inflows at the left and right edges of the mushroom are different.
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Fungi are not plants
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and fungi are not plants. Fungi are a separate kingdom from plants, and there are several key differences between the two.
One of the most significant differences is their method of feeding. Plants make their own food through photosynthesis, using sunlight and carbon dioxide. Fungi, on the other hand, cannot produce their own food. Instead, they secrete digestive enzymes into their environment and absorb dissolved molecules for nourishment. This process is similar to how animals feed, and fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs.
Another difference lies in the composition of their cell walls. Plant cells have cell walls made of cellulose, while fungi have cell walls composed of chitin. Additionally, plants typically store their food as starches, whereas fungi, like animals, store food as glycogen.
Fungi also play a unique role in the ecosystem as the principal decomposers. They help recycle nutrients in forests and assist plants in absorbing minerals and water from the soil.
The classification of organisms into different kingdoms is based on the structure and function of cells, as well as genetic lineage. While fungi may exhibit some plant-like and animal-like behaviours, their cellular structure and function set them apart from plants.
In summary, fungi, including mushrooms, are distinct from plants due to their unique feeding mechanisms, cell structure, and ecological functions.
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Mushrooms are edible, poisonous, or unpalatable
Mushrooms are a type of fungus with a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap. The term "mushroom" is typically used to refer to the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, and other similar gilled fungi. However, the term can also be applied more broadly to various fungal fruiting bodies, including polypores, puffballs, jelly fungi, and stinkhorns, among others.
When it comes to edibility, mushrooms can be classified as edible, poisonous, or unpalatable. It is important to note that the delineation between edible and poisonous fungi is not always clear-cut, and proper identification is crucial. Here are some guidelines to help determine if a mushroom is edible, poisonous, or unpalatable:
Edible Mushrooms
Edible mushrooms are typically defined by the absence of poisonous effects on humans and the presence of desirable taste and aroma. Examples of commonly consumed edible mushrooms include:
- Giant puffballs: These are considered a choice edible species due to their desirable taste. They are commonly found in meadows, fields, and deciduous forests in late summer and autumn.
- Chanterelles: The yellow chanterelle is easily recognizable and can be found in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. However, it can be confused with the poisonous Jack O'Lantern mushroom, which has true gills instead of folds.
- Morels: Morchella genus belongs to the ascomycete grouping of fungi and is usually found in open scrub, woodland, or open ground in late spring. When collecting morels, it is important to distinguish them from poisonous false morels.
- Truffles: Truffles are highly prized and often collected on a smaller scale, making them difficult to obtain.
- Beefsteak fungus, Porcelain fungus, Cauliflower fungus, Dryad's Saddle, Hedgehog fungus, and Wood Ears are some other examples of edible mushrooms.
Poisonous Mushrooms
Poisonous mushrooms can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, allergic reactions, or even death. It is crucial to properly identify mushrooms before consumption to avoid poisonous species. Some guidelines to help identify poisonous mushrooms include:
- Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem, and a bulbous or sack-like base called a volva. These characteristics are often found in the deadly Amanita family.
- Avoid mushrooms with any red on the cap, stem, or pores.
- If the flesh of the mushroom stains blue when cut, treat it as poisonous.
- Be cautious with Milkcaps, as most of them are toxic. Milkcaps exude a milky substance from the gills that can be acrid or hot.
- Be cautious with look-alikes: Some poisonous mushrooms closely resemble edible species. For example, the Jack O'Lantern mushroom resembles Chanterelles, and the Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) is often mistaken for the Shaggy Mane.
Unpalatable Mushrooms
While not all unpalatable mushrooms are necessarily poisonous, they may have undesirable taste or aroma characteristics. Some mushrooms may also be unpalatable due to individual allergies or reactions. It is important to exercise caution and only consume mushrooms that are correctly identified and known to be safe for consumption.
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Frequently asked questions
A mushroom is the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota. The term is used to identify edible sporophores.
A fungus is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that include microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as mushrooms. Fungi acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules and do not photosynthesize.
The term "mushroom" is used to identify the edible fruiting bodies of fungi. Fungi, on the other hand, is a broader term encompassing a diverse range of organisms, including mushrooms. Fungi can be pathogenic to humans and detrimental to plants.
Yes, there are approximately 14,000 species of mushrooms described. Some common types include agarics, boletes, puffballs, stinkhorns, and cup fungi. Mushrooms can also vary in shape, with some being spherical, planked, or wavy.
