Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and while they are often considered vegetables or fruits, they are neither plants nor animals. They are classified as part of the Fungi kingdom, which is distinct from the Plantae and Animalia kingdoms. The term mushroom typically refers to the edible, umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of certain fungi, particularly those with stems, fleshy rounded caps, and gills underneath the cap. These gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread. Mushrooms have been consumed and used for their medicinal properties for thousands of years and are known for their distinct umami flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus. |
| Taxonomy | Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and are not plants or animals. They are their own kingdom. |
| Morphology | Mushrooms typically have a stem (stipe), a fleshy rounded cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) underneath the cap. |
| Varieties | There are over 10,000 known types of mushrooms, including white button, shiitake, oyster, enoki, morel, and chanterelle. |
| Nutrition | Mushrooms are low in calories and fat, and contain fiber, vitamins, and various nutrients. They also contain ergosterol, which can be converted to vitamin D with UV exposure. |
| Uses | Mushrooms are consumed as food and used as medicine. |
| Identification | The color of the spore print, or "spore rain," is useful for classifying and identifying mushrooms. Other characteristics such as juices, odors, tastes, and habitat are also considered. |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, not plants
Mushrooms have been consumed and used as medicine for thousands of years. They are low in calories and fat and contain modest amounts of fibre and various nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin D, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory and anticancer compounds. They also contain ergosterol, a substance similar in structure to cholesterol in animals, which can be converted into vitamin D with exposure to ultraviolet light.
Mushrooms vary in appearance, but they are generally distinguished by a stem, a fleshy rounded cap, and gills underneath the cap. They may have a central stalk that supports the cap in the middle, or it may be off-centre or absent altogether. The gills may be free, not extending to the top of the stalk, or they may be decurrent, extending down the stalk.
The delineation between edible and poisonous mushrooms is not always clear, and identifying them requires a basic understanding of their structure. The colour of the spore print, or powdery impression left by the spores, is useful for classification and identification. Other methods for identification include examining the presence of juices, bruising reactions, odours, tastes, shades of colour, habitat, and season.
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They are the reproductive structures of fungi
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. They are not plants and, therefore, cannot be fruits. The term "fruiting bodies" is a residual term from when they were considered plants. Mushrooms contain the places for spores to mature and be dispersed, whereas fruits evolve from the ovary around a seed. While a seed and a spore are somewhat homologous, spores do not generally have any ovary that travels with them.
The study of fungi, or mycology, arose as a branch of botany because fungi were once considered primitive plants. However, fungi are now accepted as a separate kingdom based on their cellular organization. Major differences that distinguish fungi from plants include the presence of chlorophyll and the ability to make food through photosynthesis, both of which are characteristics of plants, but not of fungi.
Fungi consist of a network of mycelium, which is usually hidden underground or within another substrate, such as a log. The mycelium produces strands called hyphae, which grow in all directions, eventually forming a circular mat of underground threads. Mushrooms emerge from this underground network and are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies (sporophores) of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota.
Mushrooms are often identified as either edible or poisonous, with the term "mushroom" typically referring to edible sporophores, and toadstool reserved for inedible or poisonous sporophores. However, there is no scientific distinction between the two names, and either can be properly applied to any fleshy fungus fruiting structure. The colour of the powdery print, or spore print, is useful in classifying and identifying mushrooms, with the most common colours being white, brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and creamy.
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They are not fruits in a botanical sense
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. They are often referred to as "fruiting bodies" because the word "fruit" refers to analogous structures in botany. However, this is a residual term from when they were considered plants. Fungi are now accepted as a separate kingdom, distinct from plants and animals. Mushrooms are not fruits in a botanical sense because they do not evolve from the ovary around a seed. Instead, they contain places for spores to mature and be dispersed.
While mushrooms are commonly referred to as "fruiting bodies," this is not a scientifically accurate term. The correct term for the reproductive structures of fungi is simply "mushrooms." The term "fruiting body" implies that mushrooms are a type of fruit, which is not accurate in a botanical sense.
In botany, the word "fruit" has a specific meaning. It refers to the result of plant reproduction, which involves the ovary, seeds, and other plant parts. Fruits are typically formed from the ovary of a flowering plant, and they contain seeds. This process is fundamentally different from how mushrooms reproduce and develop.
Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi, and they function differently from fruits. While fruits evolve from the ovary of a plant, mushrooms contain spores that mature and are dispersed. Spores are analogous to seeds, but they do not have an ovary or any other plant-specific structures associated with them. Therefore, mushrooms are not considered fruits in a botanical sense.
Furthermore, mushrooms have a unique nutrient profile that sets them apart from fruits. They contain substances like ergosterol, which is similar to cholesterol in animals, and unique polysaccharides, indoles, polyphenols, and carotenoids. These non-nutritive plant substances have been studied for their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Thus, mushrooms are biologically distinct from fruits and other plant-derived foods.
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They have medicinal and nutritional value
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that has been consumed and used medicinally for thousands of years. They are a rich source of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Vitamin D is essential for bone and immune health, and mushrooms are one of the few dietary sources of this vital nutrient. Mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light are particularly good sources of vitamin D, as the UV light converts a substance in mushrooms called ergosterol into vitamin D2, a form of vitamin D found only in plants. Mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin B, including thiamine, riboflavin, B6, and B12, as well as selenium, which helps prevent cell damage.
The nutritional profiles of mushrooms vary between types, with some being everyday fare and others costly delicacies. However, they are generally low in calories and high in nutritional value, making them a healthy addition to any diet. For example, cremini mushrooms are an excellent source of zinc, an important nutrient for the immune system and optimal growth in infants and children. Mushrooms are also a good source of potassium, which can help to reduce blood pressure and lessen the negative impact of sodium on the body.
In addition to their nutritional benefits, mushrooms have been studied for their potential medicinal properties. They have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, improving the efficiency of the immune system and protecting against obesity-related hypertension. Mushrooms are also being investigated for their potential to protect the brain from cognitive decline and lower the risk of developing serious health conditions such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
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They are classified into various types
Mushrooms are classified as fungi, forming part of their own kingdom, separate from plants and animals. They are the reproductive structures of fungi, and are often referred to as "fruiting bodies". This is because the word "fruit" refers to analogous structures in botany. Mushrooms are not fruits in a botanical sense, but they are called fruiting bodies in mycology.
Mushrooms that deviate from this standard morphology usually have more specific names, such as "bolete", "truffle", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel". Truffles, for example, hardly resemble mushrooms but are often labelled as such. Morels (Morchella, Verpa) and false morels (Gyromitra, Helvella) are also popularly included with true mushrooms due to their shape and fleshy structure.
Other types of mushrooms include chanterelles, which are in the Cantharellales order, and false chanterelles, such as Gomphus, which are in the Gomphales order. Milk-cap mushrooms (Lactarius, Lactifluus) and russulas (Russula) are in the Russulales order, while the Polyporales order includes the tough, leathery genera Lentinus and Panus. The Agaricales order includes common fungi like the fairy-ring mushroom, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms, fly agarics, and other Amanitas.
The stalk or stipe of a mushroom may be central and support the cap in the middle, or it may be off-centre or lateral, as in species of Pleurotus and Panus. Some mushrooms, like puffballs, lack a stalk but may have a supporting base. The way the gills attach to the top of the stalk is an important feature of mushroom morphology. Mushrooms in the Agaricus, Amanita, Lepiota, and Pluteus genera have free gills that do not extend to the top of the stalk, while others have decurrent gills that extend down the stalk, as in the Omphalotus and Pleurotus genera.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are not fruits. They are the reproductive structures of fungi and are often referred to as "fruiting bodies" because the word "fruit" refers to analogous structures in botany.
No, mushrooms are not plants. They are a type of fungus.
Although considered a vegetable, mushrooms are neither a plant nor an animal food. They are a type of fungus.
Not all mushrooms are poisonous. The term "toadstool" is often reserved for inedible or poisonous mushrooms. However, there is no scientific distinction between the two names, and either can be properly applied to any fleshy fungus fruiting structure.
Mushrooms are an often under-appreciated food and are low in calories and fat. They contain modest amounts of fiber, various nutrients, and non-nutritive plant substances such as polysaccharides, indoles, polyphenols, and carotenoids. They are also a source of vitamin D2, which is produced when ergosterol in mushrooms is exposed to ultraviolet light.
