Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They are neither plants nor animals, and instead break down dead things like leaves and plants. They are decomposers. Mushrooms are used in food, medicine, and drugs. They come in different shapes and sizes and can be delicious, poisonous, or unpalatable.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source |
| Structure | A mushroom has a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap |
| Spores | Mushrooms produce spores, which are almost as fine as smoke. These spores help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface |
| Life cycle | The life cycle of a mushroom mostly takes place underground or beneath the bark of dead or living trees. Before developing the mushroom structure, the fungus lives as a mycelium, a mat-like or net-like network of filaments infusing a patch of soil or wood |
| Duration | Mushroom fruiting bodies are short-lived, but the underlying mycelium can be long-lived. Mycelia may live for hundreds of years or die in a few months, depending on the available food supply |
| Nutrition | Mushrooms are decomposers. They break down dead things like leaves, plants, and trees. They do not make food from the sun like plants do |
| Edibility | Edible mushrooms include portobellos, cremini, baby bellas, and shiitake. Edible truffles, morels, and false morels are also considered mushrooms |
| Medicinal properties | Psilocybin, a naturally occurring chemical in certain psychedelic mushrooms, is being studied for its potential to help people with psychological disorders and to stop cluster and migraine headaches |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi
Before developing the mushroom structure, the fungus lives as a mycelium, a network of filaments infusing a patch of soil, wood, or decaying organic matter. The mycelium can live for hundreds of years, and as long as the conditions of nourishment, temperature, and moisture are favourable, it will produce a new crop of mushrooms, or sporophores, each year during its fruiting season. The sporophore consists of a cap (pileus) and a stalk (stipe), with gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap. The gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread and reproduce.
Mushrooms are short-lived, and once they have shed their spores, they collapse and deteriorate. However, the underlying mycelium can be long-lived and massive. For example, a colony of Armillaria solidipes in the Malheur National Forest in the United States is estimated to be over 2,400 years old and spans approximately 2,200 acres. This particular fungus is found underground and in decaying wood or dying tree roots.
The delineation between edible and poisonous mushrooms is not always clear-cut, and proper identification requires a basic understanding of their structure. Most mushrooms are basidiomycetes and gilled, producing spores called basidiospores on their gills. These spores fall in a fine rain of powder from under the caps and help in the reproduction of the fungus.
How Heat Impacts the Potency of Magic Mushrooms
You may want to see also
They can be edible or poisonous
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi. They can be edible or poisonous. Edible mushrooms are consumed for their nutritional and culinary value. They are free of cholesterol and contain small amounts of essential amino acids and B vitamins. They are also a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and minerals.
Some popular edible mushrooms include portobellos, cremini, baby bellas, and shiitake, truffles, matsutake, and morels. Chanterelles are also edible mushrooms that are often recommended for beginner foragers, although their identification may not be as "beginner-friendly" as some sources suggest. Giant puffballs are another edible species, although they must be fresh, with white interior flesh, to be safely consumed.
It is important to correctly identify wild mushrooms before consumption, as some are poisonous and can cause severe illness or even death. Deadly poisonous mushrooms that are frequently confused with edible mushrooms include several species of the genus Amanita, particularly A. phalloides, commonly known as the "death cap". Other toxic mushrooms include the Jack O'Lantern, which resembles the edible Chanterelle but has true gills and a distinctively bioluminescent glow.
There are some rules of thumb for avoiding poisonous mushrooms. For instance, it is recommended to avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem, and a bulbous base. Mushrooms with red on the cap or stem should also be avoided. However, these rules do not guarantee safety, and the best way to identify mushrooms is by learning about the characteristics of different fungal families. For example, the Agaric family includes both edible and toxic members, but a bruise test can help distinguish between the two—if the cap stains bright chrome yellow, it is likely poisonous, while a pale yellow, pink, or red stain indicates edibility. A smell test can also be performed, as edible Agarics have a pleasant mushroomy aroma, while toxic varieties have a chemical or unpleasant odour.
Where to Buy Oyster Mushrooms: Store Options
You may want to see also
They can be used for medicinal purposes
Mushrooms are not just delicious additions to our meals, but they also have medicinal properties. They have been used for their health benefits for thousands of years, and today, they are recognised for their varied and uniquely adaptive health advantages.
Mushrooms are a powerful source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage. They are also naturally low in sodium and high in fibre, making them an excellent substitute for red meat. Research has shown that eating just 18 grams of mushrooms a day may lower your risk of cancer by as much as 45%. In particular, shiitake mushrooms help to keep cholesterol levels low. They contain compounds that inhibit the production of cholesterol, block cholesterol from being absorbed, and lower overall cholesterol in the blood.
In addition, mushrooms have broad-spectrum pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiviral, neuroprotective, osteoprotective, and hypotensive activities. For example, Chaga mushrooms have been used for centuries to improve stomach health and skin health.
However, it is important to note that the use of mushrooms for medicinal purposes should be done with caution. While they have been shown to provide health benefits, they should not be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and treatment.
Mushrooms: Friends or Foes of Plants?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Mushrooms can be decomposers
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi. They are characterised by their umbrella-like shape and are considered delicious by some humans. However, the mushrooms we see are only a small part of the fungi's body, with the rest of it being underground or beneath the bark of dead or living trees.
Before a mushroom develops, the fungus lives as a mycelium, a network of filaments infusing a patch of soil or wood. When the conditions are right, the mycelium develops a mushroom, which emerges from the ground or the tree. Mushrooms produce spores, which are almost as fine as smoke. When spores land in a suitable place, they develop filaments that become a new mycelium.
Mushrooms are decomposers, breaking down dead things like leaves, plants, and trees. They are also known as saprophytes, which break down dead materials to keep ecosystems from becoming overwhelmed by leaf litter and fallen sticks and branches. This process of decomposition is crucial as it makes nutrients available for plants to absorb and recycle, restarting food chains and keeping the soil healthy.
Some mushrooms are parasitic and feed on living tissues. These mushrooms grow from living trees, which are being parasitised by a fungus under its bark. Other mushrooms form a mutually beneficial relationship with plant roots, helping the plants absorb water and minerals while receiving nutrients in return.
Mushroom Houses: Who Calls Them Home?
You may want to see also
They can be parasitic
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, which live on or beneath the bark of dead or living trees. They break down dead organic matter, such as leaves and fallen trees, and are therefore known as decomposers.
Some mushrooms are parasitic, meaning they invade and feed on other living organisms, including plants, animals, insects, and even other fungi. Parasitic mushrooms extract nutrients from the living tissue of their host, which can cause damage and sometimes even kill the host. This is in contrast to saprotrophic fungi, which are the largest group, and feed on dead or decaying organic matter.
While most mushrooms are saprotrophs, a few species of parasitic fungi do produce mushrooms and are often both saprotrophic and parasitic. For example, lion's mane mushrooms are classified as saprotrophic and parasitic, as they are found growing on dead trees and logs, as well as on living trees. Poplar mushrooms, found in New Zealand and Australia, are another example of edible semi-parasitic mushrooms. They usually grow on weak or unhealthy trees, causing heart rot that eventually kills the tree. Elm oyster mushrooms are also classified as parasites, although scientists are unsure whether they feed on living or dead tissue on their host trees.
It is important to note that parasitic fungi do not form mutually beneficial relationships with their hosts. Instead, only the fungi benefit, while the host is often harmed.
Mushroom Mystery: Are Grass-Grown Fungi Poisonous?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source.
The term "toadstool" generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. However, there is no scientific distinction between the two names, and either can be properly applied to any fleshy fungus fruiting structure.
Mushrooms are decomposers—they break down dead things like leaves and plants. They grow from an extensive underground network of thread-like strands called mycelium. When conditions are right, the mycelium develops a fruiting structure, a mushroom, which emerges from the ground or a tree.
The delineation between edible and poisonous mushrooms is not clear-cut. Some mushrooms are edible and delicious, while others are poisonous and inedible. Yeast, a type of fungus, is present in many kinds of bread and beer. Blue cheese also gets its colour from a specific fungus.
