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The English word fungus is directly adopted from the Latin fungus (mushroom), used in the writings of Horace and Pliny. [10] This in turn is derived from the Greek word sphongos (σφόγγος 'sponge'), which refers to the macroscopic structures and morphology of mushrooms and molds; [11] the root is also used in other languages, such as the German Schwamm ('sponge') and Schimmel ('mold').
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their taxonomy, genetics, biochemical properties, and use by humans. [1] Fungi can be a source of tinder, food, traditional medicine, as well as entheogens, poison, and infection.
Delineation between edible and poisonous fungi is not clear-cut, so a "mushroom" may be edible, poisonous, or unpalatable. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] The word toadstool appeared first in 14th century England as a reference for a "stool" for toads , possibly implying an inedible poisonous fungus.
The differences between fungi and other organisms regarded as plants had long been recognised by some; Haeckel had moved the fungi out of Plantae into Protista after his original classification, [8] but was largely ignored in this separation by scientists of his time. Robert Whittaker recognized an additional kingdom for the Fungi. [11]
The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. [1] [2] Not all fungi form molds. Some fungi form mushrooms; others grow as single cells and are called microfungi (for example yeasts). A large and taxonomically diverse number of fungal species form molds. The growth of hyphae results in discoloration and a fuzzy appearance, especially on food. [3]
A mycorrhiza (from Ancient Greek μύκης (múkēs) 'fungus' and ῥίζα (rhíza) 'root'; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza, or mycorrhizas) [1] is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. [2] The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plant's rhizosphere, the plant root system and its surroundings.
A fungus which only contains this type, as do fleshy mushrooms such as agarics, is referred to as monomitic. If a fungus contains the obligate generative hyphae (as mentioned in the last point, "every fungus must contain generative hyphae") and just one of the other two types (either skeletal or binding hyphae), it is called dimitic .
The main difference between spores and seeds as dispersal units is that spores are unicellular, the first cell of a gametophyte, while seeds contain within them a developing embryo (the multicellular sporophyte of the next generation), produced by the fusion of the male gamete of the pollen tube with the female gamete formed by the ...