Fungi

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Chitin Noun

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[ky-tin]

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Chitin

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A polymer made of modified sugars that forms the cell walls of fungi and the external skeletons of insects.

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Example: This diagram shows a cross-section of a fungal cell wall, where chitin is a key structural polysaccharide providing strength and rigidity to the cell.

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Hyphae Noun

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[hy-fee]

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Hyphae

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The long, slender, branching filaments that make up the body of a multicellular fungus and form the mycelium.

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Example: This diagram shows that hyphae are the thin, branching, root-like threads that anchor a fungus and absorb nutrients from a food source.

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Fruiting Body Noun

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[froot-ing bod-ee]

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Fruiting Body

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The reproductive structure of a fungus that grows from the mycelium and produces spores, often visible above ground.

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Example: This diagram shows that the fruiting body is the visible, reproductive part of a fungus, like a mushroom, which grows from the underground mycelium network.

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Mycelium Noun

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[my-see-lee-um]

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Mycelium

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The mass of branching hyphae below the soil that constitutes the main, vegetative part of a multicellular fungus.

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Example: The mycelium is the large, root-like network of the fungus that grows underground, while the visible mushroom is only its smaller, reproductive fruitbody.

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Lichen Noun

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[ly-ken]

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Lichen

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A composite organism arising from a symbiotic association between a fungus and a photosynthetic organism like an alga.

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Example: This diagram shows that a lichen is a composite organism created from the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga.

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Mycorrhiza Noun

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[my-ko-ry-zuh]

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Mycorrhiza

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A symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant, enhancing nutrient and water absorption.

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Example: This diagram shows how mycorrhiza is a partnership where a fungus gives water and nutrients to a plant's roots, and the plant gives the fungus food (carbohydrates) from photosynthesis.

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Fungi Noun

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[fun-jy]

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Fungi

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A kingdom of heterotrophic eukaryotes with cell walls containing chitin, which obtain nutrients by absorbing them from their surroundings.

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Example: This image shows three common types of fungi: a mushroom (macroscopic), mold (filamentous), and yeast (single-celled), illustrating the diversity within the Fungi kingdom.

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Yeast Noun

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[yeest]

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Yeast

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A type of single-celled fungus that lives individually and typically reproduces asexually by budding or fission.

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Example: This diagram shows the main parts of a single-celled fungus called yeast, including its nucleus, cell wall, and mitochondria, which are typical for eukaryotic cells.

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Spore Noun

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[spor]

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Spore

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A reproductive unit, often a single cell, released by fungi for dispersal and capable of developing into a new individual.

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Example: This diagram shows a fungus releasing spores from a structure called a sporangium. These spores are tiny reproductive cells used for asexual reproduction.

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Heterotrophic Adjective

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[het-er-o-trof-ik]

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Heterotrophic

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Describes an organism that cannot produce its own food and obtains nutrients by consuming or absorbing organic substances.

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Example: This food chain shows that organisms like fungi, grasshoppers, and snakes are heterotrophs because they get energy by consuming or decomposing other organisms.