This is a glossary - a list of terminology commonly used by authors of articles and books of mycology when describing characteristic features of a fruiting body or mushroom. Rather than guess what they may mean or skip over them, familiarize yourself with the words and their meanings. Doing so will enable you to better understand the descriptions and empower you to use these words when describing your finds to others. Know more - see more - comprehend more. Compiled by Dianna Smith 8/30/19
(Illustrations are from Gary Lincoff’s Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms of North America)
•Mycology - Greek ‘mukēs’ = fungus + ‘ology’ = study of) = scientific study of fungi
•Mycologist – typically a biologist who specializes in mycology
•Mycophile – someone who loves fungi
•Mycophobe – someone who is afraid of fungi
•Mycophagist – one who eats fungi, fungi foodie
•Amateur mycologist – typically studies macro-fungi, (the ephemeral visible fruiting bodies of much larger organisms that have been actively growing within their substrates sometimes for years), initially at least for the purpose of foraging for edible food.
MACRO FUNGI = Visible above ground fungi with large spore-bearing bodies
Taxonomic ranks: Domain, Kingdom, Phyllum, Class, Order. Family, Genus, Species
Domains: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya
Eukarya: defined as having a nucleus in every cell
Kingdom level taxons = 4+ Kingdoms of groups of living things: Chromista {diatoms, giant kelps, oomycote or water molds} Protozoa, {a grab bag of unrelated organisms including amoebas and slime molds}, Plants, Animals & Fungi)
Chromists and plants both photosynthesize, but are unrelated = autotrophs
Animals and fungi live by digesting (live or dead) plants and animals that eat plants = heterotrophs (must find and digest food to survive)
Fungi, unlike animals, first dissolve their food via enzymes and then absorb them
A more recent method of organizing information on earth’s living things is to divide the Eukaryota into 6 different monophyletic ‘supergroups’ (rather than kingdoms): showing they derive from a common ancestor
Animals, fungi and choanoflagellates are in the Opisthokonta
Plants being more distantly related are in the Archaeplastida (with red and green algae and glaucophytes = microscopic fresh water algae)
Most recent way of ranking organisms is to place them all into 7 kingdoms: Archaea, Bacteria, Protozoa, Chromista, Plantae, Fungi & Animalia: Life is complicated, so methods of organizing our knowledge are subject to ongoing changes!
Most basic way of referencing any organism is by using the binomial system made popular by Carl Linneaus in the early to mid-eighteenth century.
Genus = taxonomic rank below family; always capitalized and italicized.
species = lowest rank in taxonomy; never capitalize, but always italicize. Both the genus and species need to be italicized, for example (Morchella punctipes).
TYPES OF FUNGI NUTRITION & ECOLOGICAL ROLES
arbuscular = Glomeromycota fungi which penetrate the roots of plants to exchange nutrients
mycorrhizal = fungal structures by which fungi and plants exchange nutrients and water
ectomycorrhizal (EM) = fungi form a sheath around plant rootlets and grow between cells of with root without penetrating the plant cells. Fungi provide water and nutrients to plants in exchange for sugars.
endomycorrhiza = fungi hypha that penetrate root cells of host plants
endophyte = fungus that lives within a plant without causing harm
saprotrophic = fungi that obtains nutrients from dead organic matter
parasitic = organism feeds on substrate at the expense of the host
pathogen = capable of causing disease in host(s)
mycoparasite = fungus that parasitizes another fungus (Hypomyces lactifluorum, the Lobster Mushroom)
thermaphiles = fungi able to thrive at high temperatures
TREE ASSOCIATION EXAMPLES:
Specific or cosmopolitan
Dead wood or living wood
WHAT ARE FUNGI MADE OF?
hypha = single-celled-filamentous thread of mycelium
hyphae = many threads interwoven
mycelium = entire body of a fungus, most of which is underground or in other substrate such as wood; branching network of fungi
septum, septate = cross walls in hyphae that separate hypha thread filaments
FRUITING BODY = term for spore-bearing structures of fungi
carpophore = fungal fruiting body
sporophore = fungal fruiting body
ascocarp = fruiting body of an ascomycete
basidiocarp = basidio means ‘small pedestal’
sporocarp = fruiting body of a fungus
spore = reproductive structure of fungi, single cell typically
MACRO-FUNGI
2 Groups of Macro-fungi: Ascomycota and Basidiomycota
ASCOMYCETES (Asco meaning ‘open’)
ascocarp = fruiting body of an ascomycete
ascus, asci = sexual reproductive cells or sacs in which ascospores are produced
ascospores = sexual spores of ascomycetes within asci (usually 8)
apothecium = cup shaped fruiting body with fertile layer inside of cup
pyrenomycete = flask fungi
perithecium = flask-like chambers that contain asci
BASIDIOMYCETES
basidio = ‘small pedestal’
basidiocarp =
basidium, basidia = sexual cells in which basidospores are produced (usually 4)
basidiospores =
FUNGAL MORPHOLOGY ‘Study of shapes’
What questions do you have to ask yourself in order to adequately
describe a fungus, so you can identify it to genus and species
Cap? Shape, skin, disc, margin, texture, degree of removability
Flesh? Texture, color, durability or fragility
Veils? Ring? None; if yes -color, location on stem, durability
Partial veil – color, location; solid membrane or cortina
Hymenium = spore producing surface? Gills; soft or hard pores; angular; radially elongate; daedaloid; maze-like, round; veined folds; color, staining or discoloring
Spore color? Light or dark
Stem (stipe)? Shape, color, texture, durability, breakability
Stem Context? solid; stuffed; hollow
Base? Equal; bulbous; clavate; tapered at base or apex; compressed with volva
Mycelial strands? What color, what consistency, density, rhizomorphs
Smell? None; asphalt; turpentine; honey; maple syrup; burnt sugar; parsley; old gym socks, maraschino cherries
Taste? None, mild, bitter, sweet, acidic, etc.
Attachment? Sessile or stipitate
Substrate? on living or dead wood; wood chips; soil; moss; on soil; leaves, needles, under what trees
MUSHROOM CAP (Pileus) = Umbrella shape cap above a supporting mushroom stem. Supports the gills.
cuticle = cap skin, sometimes it is removable
pellicle = thin layer of skin covering cap (typically gelatinous) and often removable to some extent
peleipellis = outer surface or skin of cap
disc = center of cap
depressed = navel-like so that the center is below the margin
umbo = central raised knob or mound
umbilicate = having a belly-button central depression
umbonate = having a raised central knob or mound
CAP SHAPE
campanulate = bell-shaped
conchate = shaped like a bivalve shell
conic = cone-shaped
convex = curved, rounded
depressed = central disc
flabilliform = shaped like a fan
infundibuliform = vase-shaped
multipileate = having more than one cap (Polyporus umbellatus)
plane = flat surface at maturity
plicate = resembling a folding fan
CAP SURFACES: Textures
opaque = dull, lacking shine
glabrous = smooth, bald, absence of fibrils, scales, etc.
mollis (mollusks) = smooth, soft
rugose = wrinkled
corrugated = coarsely wrinkled
granulose = covered in small granules
appressed = pressed closely against but not united with
repent = prostrate
zonate = cap surface marked with concentric bands of color
azonate = lacking zones
concentric = having a series of ringed zones
canescence = hoary pale down
fibers, fibrils = threadlike mycelial filaments or fibers
sericeous = silky
silky-fibrillose = tiny silky fibrils
floccose = covered with tufts of loose cottony scales
furfuraceous = sand-like particles covering surface
hirsute = covered in stiff hairs
pruinose = pale bloom on cap like powdery white dust
pubescent = covered with soft, short downy hairs
squamules = small scales
squamose = covered in scales
squamulose = covered in tiny scales
recurved = scales curved upward or downward
decurved = downward bent scales
tomentose = wooly
subtomentose = finely wooly
villose = having soft, long hairs
tubercles = wart-like projecting knobs
setiform = bristle-shaped
pyramidal warts = pyramid-shaped warts
virgate = streaked with fibrils
gelatinized = jelly-like consistency
glutinous = viscid or slimy gelatinous layer
lubricous = smooth and slippery
viscid = sticky or slimy (at least when moist)
subviscid = slightly tacky or sticky
hygrophanous = color of cap appears soaked with water and translucent when wet and more opaque when dry
areolate = broken small patches separated by cracks in pellicle
rimose = tiny cracks or crevices
mottled = blotched or spotted with different colors or streaks
autodigestion = self-digesting/liquefying (Coprinus comatus)
MARGINAL CHARACTERISTICS
margin = outer edge of cap
incurved = margin turning inward
involute = inrolled margin
appendiculate = hanging remnants of partial veil on cap margin
fimbriate = finely torn or fringed
furrows = narrow grooves in margin
lacerated = torn or shredded
sulcate = deeply furrowed
striate = cap with fine radiating lines or furrows at cap margin
radially striate = minute striations or furrows radiating from cap center
translucent-striate = visible striations on thin translucent marginal tissue showing gills
translucent-sulcate = visible striations and deep grooves in margin
FLESH
context - mass of hyphae between the cap pellicle and the fertile layer of gills, teeth, pores. The ‘meat’
trama – flesh or context of a mushroom’s cap, gills and stem
HYMENIUM = fertile spore-producing/bearing tissue of a fungus
gills = spore-bearing plates or blade-like structure of tissue under cap
tubes = cylindrical spore-bearing structures of polypores and boletes
pores = outer growing layer of tubular openings of polypores and boletes, tube mouths
tubes = cylindrical spore-bearing structures of polypores and boletes
Pore-shape = irregular; maze-like or labyrinthine, round, angular, radially elongate
boletinoid = elongated and radially arranged pores; structure between pores and gills
ridges/veins = (Cantharellus sp.)
hydnoid = dentate - teeth
coralloid = resembling corals
gasteroid = ‘stomach’ fungi, enclosed spores within the fungus for most of its development
GILLS - spore-bearing plates of tissue
lamella, lamellae = gill, gills
adnate = broadly attached to stem
adnexed = narrowly attached to stem
emarginate = notched at point of attachment to stem
sinuate = wave-like gill attachment
decurrent = running down stem
sub-decurrent = gills run a short distance down a stem
free = attached to underside of cap and not to the stem (Pluteus cervinus)
seceding = inside gill edge that pulls away from stem
depressed (boletes) = sunken pores at stipe apex
GILL SHAPE
sinuate = refers to gills with notch or depression near stem
crenulate = finely scalloped gill edges
scalloped = having shell-like forms
SPACING between gills, width of pores
crowded – tightly-spaced gills
close – between crowded and subdistant
distant – widely-spaced gills
subdistant – between close and distant
forked – branched
furcate –forked
dichotomous – forking into pairs
intervenose – connecting veins between and on gills
DEPTH = relative length of gills, tubes or other fertile spore containers
broad = (Megacollybia rodmanii, Megacollybia patyphylla)
narrow = (Rhodocollybia maculata)
GILL EDGE = downward-facing bottom edge of gill
marginate = pertaining to edge of gill being darker than the faces
crenate = rounded scalloped edge
serrate = having saw-toothed points like a serrated steak knife
dentate = tooth-like gill edges
deliquescent = curling backward, dissolving, liquefying and dropping
latex = milky liquid that oozes from cut; Does it change color?
color reactions to handling of fruiting bodies
SPORE COLORS
dark = black, purple-black, brown, red-brown (Agaricus, Psathyrella, Stropharia, Inocybe, Cortinarius)
light = white, cream, pale yellow, yellow, ochre, pink, salmon (Tricholoma, Amanita, Lepiota, Russula, Lactarius, Marasmius, Mycena, Entoloma)
RING
= annulus
PARTIAL VEIL- membrane that protects gills during development
annulus – ring of tissue from partial veil that remains on stalk
annular zone – indistinct area covered with fine fibril remains of ring (Galerina marginata)
cortina – web-like veil protecting gills of Cortinarius and other mushroom genera
evanescent – short lasting or disappearing ring on stem
ascending – ring located on upper section of stem that flares up and out
superior – located on the upper section of stem
descending – ring that flares downward and outward
inferior – location of ring being low on stem
velar – pertaining to ring
STEM
(STIPE)
stalked = with a stem
stipitate = having a stem
sessile = without a stem
pedicle = small stipe
eccentric = attached off center
apex = the top of the stem
fluted = sharp ridges running down stem
clavate = club shaped
fusiform = tapering at top and bottom (Clavulinopsis fusiformis)
ventricose = stem swollen around its mid-point
cartilaginous = firm, but readily bent, breakable
glutinous = viscid or slimy gelatinous layer
mulcilaginous = covered in slime
floccose = covered with loose cottony scales
granulose = covered in small granules
hirsute = covered in long, stiff hairs
coriaceous = leathery texture
scabrous = stem having rough scale-like projections
scabrous-dotted = with scattered short projections that look like dots
squamose = covered in scales
squamulose = covered in tiny scales
glandular dots = glands of sticky drops on stems of Suillus
punctate = minutely dotted or pitted
twisted striate = having lines that twist around the stipe (Enotloma strictius)
reticulate = net-like pattern on some bolete stems
reticulate-pitted = a network of ridges and shallow depressions
stuffed = soft cottony tissue made up of mycelium that tends to dry up and hollow out with time
hollow = empty of hyphae
STEM BASE
bulbous = base is enlarged
basal mycelium = mass of hyphae at base of stem
caespitose = stems clustered together, growing in tufts
gregarious = many of same species in given area
pseudorhiza = tap root-like extension of mushroom stem
rhizoids; rhizomorph = cordlike mass of hyphae
VOLVACup-like or sac-like remains of the universal veil at the base of some mushrooms
universal Veil - Protective membrane that envelops an entire fruiting body in its earliest stage of development
SUBSTRATES – the material or place in which a fungus lives & feeds
habitat = environment in which a fungus lives
host = organism with which a fungus is mycorrhizal, saprotrophic or parasitic
broadleaved forest = forest of trees that lose their leaves in autumn
deciduous forest = forest of trees that lose their leaves in autumn (Larch is conifer that drops needles annually)
hardwood forest = forest of trees that lose their leaves in autumn (hard because grow slowly)
conifer forest = evergreen forest with pines, hemlock, junipers, cedars, firs
softwood forest = usually refers to conifers, but some like the Yew has hardwood (soft- because grow fast)
mixed woods = mixture of both hardwoods and conifers
coprophilous = dung loving
lignicolous = wood loving
Growth habit/attachment
central
eccentric = off-center
sessile = lacking a stem or stalk
stipitate = having a stem
terrestrial = growing from ground
tiers = rows
lateral = broadly attached to substrate (for example, polypores)
solitary = growing alone, singly / gregarious = scattered closely
cespitose = clustered with stem bases attached or nearly so
resupinate = lying flat against wood substrate
resupinate reflexed = one edge flexed upward creating a small cap
TASTES
Acrid, hot, peppery, bitter, sour, sweet,
ODORS
Fruity, coconut, honey, parsley, crustaceans, lobster, fish, rotting flesh, maple syrup, bleach, old ham, gym socks, tar