Portal:Fungi

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The Fungi Portal

A fungus is any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. The Fungi are classified as a kingdom that is separate from plants and animals. The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology or fungal biology, which is historically regarded as a branch of botany, even though genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. Fungi reproduce via spores and grow as hyphae, mycelia, and further specialized structures. Fungal spores are often produced on specialized structures or in fruiting bodies, such as the head of a mushroom. Abundant worldwide, most fungi are mostly invisible to the naked eye because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil, on dead matter, and as symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange. They have long been used as a direct source of food, such as mushrooms and truffles, as a leavening agent for bread, and in fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce.

Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological agents to control weeds and pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species are consumed recreationally or in traditional ceremonies as a source of psychotropic compounds. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies. Despite their importance on human affairs, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at around 1.5 million species, with about 5% of these having been formally classified.

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Suillus spraguei is a species of fungus in the family Suillaceae. It is known by a variety of common names, including the painted slipperycap, the painted suillus or the red and yellow suillus. Suillus spraguei has had a complex taxonomical history, and is also frequently referred to Suillus pictus in the literature. The readily identifiable fruit bodies have caps that are dark red when fresh, dry to the touch, and covered with mats of hairs and scales that are separated by yellow cracks. On the underside of the cap are small, yellow, angular pores that become brownish as the mushroom ages. The stalk bears a grayish cottony ring, and is typically covered with soft hairs or scales.

Suillus spraguei grows in a mycorrhizal association with several pine species, particularly eastern white pine, and the fruit bodies grow on the ground, appearing from early summer to autumn. It has a disjunct distribution, and is found in eastern Asia, northeastern North America, and Mexico throughout the range of the host tree. The mushroom is edible, although opinions about its quality vary. The mushroom bears a resemblance to several other Suillus species, including the closely related S. decipiens, although the species can be differentiated by variations in color and size.

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Russula virescens is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Russula, and is commonly known as the green-cracking russula, the quilted green russula, or the green brittlegill. It can be recognized by its distinctive pale green cap covered with darker green patches, its crowded white gills, and its white stem. A popular edible fungus with a mild or nutty taste, its distribution encompasses Britain, Europe, and Asia, where it occurs solitary or scattered on the ground in both deciduous and mixed forests, forming mycorrhizhal associations with hardwood trees like oak and European beech. Its distribution in North America has not been clarified, due to confusion with the similar species Russula parvovirescens and Russula crustosa. The ribonuclease enzyme of R. virescens has been studied and shown to have a unique biochemistry compared to other edible mushrooms.

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Credit: Dan Molter

The gills of Lactarius indigo, showing the distinctive blue coloration.

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Did you know?

... that several Armillaria species are bioluminescent?
... that the appearance of the decorated Pholiota at a 1994 North Carolina mushroom foray led to its re-classification two years later?
... that the agaric mushroom species Agaricus benesii is found under the pines of Monterey Cypress trees and bruises pinkish-red when injured?
... that Galerina sulciceps is considered the most toxic mushroom?
... that injuring Lactarius indigo will make it bleed a blue milk that slowly turns green?

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General images - show new batch

The following are images from various fungi-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The blue gills of Lactarius indigo, a milk-cap mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 2There are over 100 psychoactive mushroom species of genus Psilocybe native to regions all around the world. (from Mushroom)
Image 3Workup algorithm of fungal infection at a microbiology lab at a New England community hospital. (from Fungal infection)
Image 4Close-up cross section of mushroom gills (from Mushroom)
Image 5Young Amanita phalloides "death cap" mushrooms, with a matchbox for size comparison (from Mushroom)
Image 6
Diagram of a mycoloop (fungus loop)
Parasitic chytrids can transfer material from large inedible phytoplankton to zooplankton. Chytrids zoospores are excellent food for zooplankton in terms of size (2–5 μm in diameter), shape, nutritional quality (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterols). Large colonies of host phytoplankton may also be fragmented by chytrid infections and become edible to zooplankton. (from Marine fungi)
Image 7Fungi within Zygomycota form progametangia with suspensors during mating (from Mating in fungi)
Image 8Mature Mycena leaiana, a kind of Mushroom, in Mount Field National Park. (from Mycology)
Image 9Lycoperdon perlatum (the "common puffball") has a glebal hymenium; when young, the interior is white, but it becomes brown containing powdery spores as the fungus matures. (from Mushroom)
Image 10Pityriasis versicolor (from Fungal infection)
Image 11
Mycoloop links between phytoplankton and zooplankton
Chytrid‐mediated trophic links between phytoplankton and zooplankton (mycoloop). While small phytoplankton species can be grazed upon by zooplankton, large phytoplankton species constitute poorly edible or even inedible prey. Chytrid infections on large phytoplankton can induce changes in palatability, as a result of host aggregation (reduced edibility) or mechanistic fragmentation of cells or filaments (increased palatability). First, chytrid parasites extract and repack nutrients and energy from their hosts in form of readily edible zoospores. Second, infected and fragmented hosts including attached sporangia can also be ingested by grazers (i.e. concomitant predation). (from Marine fungi)
Image 12
Roles of fungi in the marine carbon cycle
Roles of fungi in the marine carbon cycle by processing phytoplankton-derived organic matter. Parasitic fungi, as well as saprotrophic fungi, directly assimilate phytoplankton organic carbon. By releasing zoospores, the fungi bridge the trophic linkage to zooplankton, known as the mycoloop. By modifying the particulate and dissolved organic carbon, they can affect bacteria and the microbial loop. These processes may modify marine snow chemical composition and the subsequent functioning of the biological carbon pump. (from Marine fungi)
Image 13
Lichen covered rocks
(from Marine fungi)
Image 14Morchella elata asci viewed with phase contrast microscopy (from Mushroom)
Image 15Amanita jacksonii buttons emerging from their universal veils (from Mushroom)
Image 16Ferula mushroom in Bingöl, Turkey. This is an edible type of mushroom. (from Mushroom)
Image 17Agaricus bitorquis (the "pavement mushroom") emerging through asphalt concrete in summer (from Mushroom)
Image 18Ganoderma lingzhi (from Mushroom)
Image 19Amanita muscaria, a psychotropic mushroom commonly known as "fly agaric" (from Mushroom)
Image 20Salmon with fungal disease (from Marine fungi)
Image 21A mushroom (probably Russula brevipes) parasitized by Hypomyces lactifluorum resulting in a "lobster mushroom" (from Mushroom)
Image 22Group photograph taken at a meeting of the British Mycological Society in 1913 (from Mycology)
Image 23A tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius (from Mushroom)
Image 24Neurospora crassa life cycle. The haploid mycelium reproduces asexually by two processes: (1) simple proliferation of existing mycelium, and (2) formation of conidia (macro- and micro-) which can be dispersed and then germinate to produce new mycelium. In the sexual cycle, mating can only occur between individual strains of different mating type, A and a. Fertilization occurs by the passage of nuclei of conidia or mycelium of one mating type into the protoperithecia of the opposite mating type through the trichogyne. Fusion of the nuclei of opposite mating types occurs within the protoperithecium to form a zygote (2N) nucleus. (from Mating in fungi)
Image 25Morphological diversity of fungi collected from a marine sponge species, Ircinia variabilis (from Marine fungi)
Image 26The photochemistry of vitamin D₂ biosynthesis (from Medicinal uses of fungi)
Image 27Pholiota squarrosa growing at the base of a tree (from Mushroom)
Image 28Tinea corporis (from Fungal infection)
Image 29Pennate diatom from an Arctic meltpond, infected with two chytrid-like [zoo-]sporangium fungal pathogens (in false-colour red). Scale bar = 10 μm. (from Marine fungi)
Image 30Agaricus bisporus, a cultivated edible mushroom with various names including "button mushroom", "portobello" and "champignon" (from Mushroom)
Image 31Boletus edulis, also known as "cep", an edible wild bolete found in Europe (from Mushroom)
Image 32Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, commonly known as the "flowerpot parasol", at various stages of development (from Mushroom)
Image 33Morphological characteristics of the caps of mushrooms (from Mushroom)
Image 34Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the "ink cap" (from Mushroom)
Image 35Typical mating fusion of two compatible monokaryons in Basidiomycota (from Mating in fungi)
Image 36Chytrid parasites of marine diatoms. (A) Chytrid sporangia on Pleurosigma sp. The white arrow indicates the operculate discharge pore. (B) Rhizoids (white arrow) extending into diatom host. (C) Chlorophyll aggregates localized to infection sites (white arrows). (D and E) Single hosts bearing multiple zoosporangia at different stages of development. The white arrow in panel E highlights branching rhizoids. (F) Endobiotic chytrid-like sporangia within diatom frustule. Bars = 10 μm. (from Marine fungi)
Image 37Phylogenetic and symbiogenetic tree of living organisms, showing a view of the origins of eukaryotes and prokaryotes (from Marine fungi)
Image 38Oral candidiasis (from Fungal infection)
Image 39Eumycetoma (from Fungal infection)
Image 40Agaricus bisporus, one of the most widely cultivated and consumed mushrooms (from Mushroom)
Image 41Onychomycosis (from Fungal infection)
Image 42Amanita muscaria, the most easily recognised "toadstool", is frequently depicted in fairy stories and on greeting cards. It is often associated with gnomes. (from Mushroom)
Image 43Maitake, a polypore mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 44
Driftwood
(from Marine fungi)
Image 45Fungi within Ascomycota form ascogonium and antheridium with trichogyne bridge (from Mating in fungi)
Image 46Ling Zhi-8, an immunomodulatory protein isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (from Medicinal uses of fungi)
Image 47The red yeast rice fungus, Monascus purpureus, can synthesize three statins. (from Medicinal uses of fungi)
Image 48Psilocybe zapotecorum, a hallucinogenic mushroom (from Mushroom)