Fungi

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Fungi Noun

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[fuhn-jahy]

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Fungi

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A kingdom of eukaryotic organisms, like molds and yeasts, that are heterotrophic and absorb nutrients from their environment.

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Example: This diagram shows the main parts of a mushroom, a common fungus, including the cap, gills, stem, and the underground mycelium network.

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Heterotrophic Adjective

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[het-er-oh-trof-ik]

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Heterotrophic

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Describes an organism that cannot produce its own food and must obtain nutrients by consuming other organic substances.

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Example: A heterotroph, like a person, must consume other organisms (represented by the hamburger) to obtain energy for life processes (represented by the energy bolt).

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Chitin Noun

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[kahy-tin]

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Chitin

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A tough carbohydrate that forms the primary component of fungal cell walls and the exoskeletons of some animals.

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Example: This diagram shows that chitin is a substance found in various organisms, including fungi, insects, and crustaceans, by pointing from a central idea to examples.

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Hyphae Noun

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[hahy-fee]

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Hyphae

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The long, branching, thread-like filaments that make up the main body of a multicellular fungus.

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Example: This diagram shows that hyphae are the tiny, branching, thread-like tubes that make up the body of a fungus, with each tube containing cellular parts like a nucleus.

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Mycelium Noun

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[mahy-see-lee-uhm]

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Mycelium

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A vegetative network of fine white filaments, known as hyphae, which forms the body of a fungus.

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Example: This diagram shows that the mycelium is the root-like network of a fungus, while the visible mushroom is the fruitbody.

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Spore Noun

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[spor]

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Spore

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A single-celled reproductive unit, used in asexual reproduction, that can develop into a new individual without any fertilization.

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Example: This diagram shows how a fungus reproduces asexually by releasing spores from a structure called a sporangium.

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Budding Noun

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[buhd-ing]

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Budding

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A type of asexual reproduction used by yeasts where an offspring cell grows and pinches off from the parent.

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Example: This diagram shows how a yeast cell (a type of fungus) reproduces asexually. A small bud grows from the mother cell, receives a copy of the nucleus, and eventually separates.

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Zygospore Noun

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[zahy-goh-spor]

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Zygospore

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A diploid reproductive stage in many fungi, created by the fusion of two different haploid hyphae during sexual reproduction.

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Example: This diagram shows a thick-walled zygospore germinating and growing a stalk that ends in a sporangium, which is where new spores are made.

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Mycorrhiza Noun

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[mahy-kuh-rahy-zuh]

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Mycorrhiza

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A mutualistic symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a plant, which is beneficial to both organisms.

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Example: This diagram shows a mycorrhizal network, which is a web of fungi connecting the roots of different plants underground to share nutrients.

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Lichen Noun

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[lahy-ken]

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Lichen

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A composite organism from a mutualistic association between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, such as algae.

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