Portal:Fungi

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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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Amanita ocreata, commonly known as the death angel, destroying angel or more precisely Western North American destroying angel, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Occurring in the Pacific Northwest and California Floristic Provinces of North America, A. ocreata associates with oak trees. The large fruiting bodies (the mushrooms) generally appear in spring; the cap may be white or ochre and often develops a brownish centre, while the stipe, ring, gill and volva are all white.

Amanita ocreata resemble several edible species commonly consumed by humans, increasing the risk of accidental poisoning. Mature fruiting bodies can be confused with the edible A. velosa, A. lanei or Volvariella speciosa, while immature specimens may be difficult to distinguish from edible Agaricus mushrooms or puffballs. Similar in toxicity to the death cap (A. phalloides) and destroying angels of Europe (A. virosa) and eastern North America (A. bisporigera), it is a potentially deadly fungus responsible for a number of poisonings in California. Its principal toxic constituent, α-amanitin, damages the liver and kidneys, often fatally, and has no known antidote. The initial symptoms are gastrointestinal and include colicky abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. These subside temporarily after 2–3 days, though ongoing damage to internal organs during this time is common; symptoms of jaundice, diarrhea, delirium, seizures, and coma may follow with death from liver failure 6–16 days post ingestion.

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Strobilomyces foveatus is a little-known species of fungus in the family Boletaceae. It was first reported by mycologist E.J.H. Corner in 1972, from specimens he collected in Malaysia in 1959, and has since been found in Australia. Fruit bodies are characterized by the small dark brown to black conical scales covering the cap, and the net-like pattern of ridges on the upper stem. The roughly spherical spores measure about eight micrometres, and are densely covered with slender conical spines. The edibility of this species is unknown.

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Credit: Dan Molter

Clavaria zollingeri growing from woodland litter.

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Did you know?

... that the giant leucopax mushroom has bioactive compounds with antioxidative, antibiotic, and anti-cancer properties?
... that the Santa Rosa Island endemic lichen Caloplaca obamae is the first species to be named in honor of United States President Barack Obama?
... that the characteristic star-shaped dehiscence of the fungus Geastrum saccatum is thought to be due to the buildup of crystalline calcium oxalate?
... that the spores of the Column Stinkhorn fungus are formed as a bad-smelling gleba smeared on the inside of several column-like appendages?
... that mushroom species Mycena haematopus, also known as the "Bleeding Mycena", oozes a red latex when cut?

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General images - show new batch

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

Image 1
Lichen covered rocks
(from Marine fungi)
Image 2Pityriasis versicolor (from Fungal infection)
Image 3Neurospora 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 4Ferula mushroom in Bingöl, Turkey. This is an edible type of mushroom. (from Mushroom)
Image 5
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 6Onychomycosis (from Fungal infection)
Image 7Group photograph taken at a meeting of the British Mycological Society in 1913 (from Mycology)
Image 8Chytrid 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 9Fungi within Ascomycota form ascogonium and antheridium with trichogyne bridge (from Mating in fungi)
Image 10Lycoperdon 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 11Agaricus bitorquis (the "pavement mushroom") emerging through asphalt concrete in summer (from Mushroom)
Image 12There are over 100 psychoactive mushroom species of genus Psilocybe native to regions all around the world. (from Mushroom)
Image 13Morphological characteristics of the caps of mushrooms (from Mushroom)
Image 14Fungi within Zygomycota form progametangia with suspensors during mating (from Mating in fungi)
Image 15Amanita 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 16Agaricus bisporus, a cultivated edible mushroom with various names including "button mushroom", "portobello" and "champignon" (from Mushroom)
Image 17Oral candidiasis (from Fungal infection)
Image 18Close-up cross section of mushroom gills (from Mushroom)
Image 19Boletus edulis, also known as "cep", an edible wild bolete found in Europe (from Mushroom)
Image 20Salmon with fungal disease (from Marine fungi)
Image 21The photochemistry of vitamin D₂ biosynthesis (from Medicinal uses of fungi)
Image 22Pennate 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 23Workup algorithm of fungal infection at a microbiology lab at a New England community hospital. (from Fungal infection)
Image 24Eumycetoma (from Fungal infection)
Image 25A mushroom (probably Russula brevipes) parasitized by Hypomyces lactifluorum resulting in a "lobster mushroom" (from Mushroom)
Image 26Typical mating fusion of two compatible monokaryons in Basidiomycota (from Mating in fungi)
Image 27A tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius (from Mushroom)
Image 28
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 29Agaricus bisporus, one of the most widely cultivated and consumed mushrooms (from Mushroom)
Image 30Tinea corporis (from Fungal infection)
Image 31Amanita jacksonii buttons emerging from their universal veils (from Mushroom)
Image 32Maitake, a polypore mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 33
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 34Mature Mycena leaiana, a kind of Mushroom, in Mount Field National Park. (from Mycology)
Image 35Pholiota squarrosa growing at the base of a tree (from Mushroom)
Image 36Young Amanita phalloides "death cap" mushrooms, with a matchbox for size comparison (from Mushroom)
Image 37Amanita muscaria, a psychotropic mushroom commonly known as "fly agaric" (from Mushroom)
Image 38The blue gills of Lactarius indigo, a milk-cap mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 39Ganoderma lingzhi (from Mushroom)
Image 40Morchella elata asci viewed with phase contrast microscopy (from Mushroom)
Image 41Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the "ink cap" (from Mushroom)
Image 42Phylogenetic and symbiogenetic tree of living organisms, showing a view of the origins of eukaryotes and prokaryotes (from Marine fungi)
Image 43The red yeast rice fungus, Monascus purpureus, can synthesize three statins. (from Medicinal uses of fungi)
Image 44Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, commonly known as the "flowerpot parasol", at various stages of development (from Mushroom)
Image 45Morphological diversity of fungi collected from a marine sponge species, Ircinia variabilis (from Marine fungi)
Image 46Psilocybe zapotecorum, a hallucinogenic mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 47
Driftwood
(from Marine fungi)