Mushroom

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus. They usually grow above ground on soil or other things they can eat. The most common type is the white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, which many people eat. Many mushrooms have a stem, a cap, and gills under the cap where they make tiny spores to help them spread.

Mushrooms come in many shapes and sizes. Some, like bolete, truffle, puffball, stinkhorn, and morel, look very different from the usual mushroom. Others without stems or with unusual shapes are still mushrooms. They grow quickly from a network of threads called mycelium when the weather is right.

People use mushrooms in many ways. Some are safe and healthy to eat, while others can be harmful if eaten. Mushrooms also help plants grow and are used in folk medicine and food production. Whether you see them in a forest or on your plate, mushrooms are an important part of nature.

Etymology

The words "mushroom" and "toadstool" have been used for a long time, but their meanings were not always clear. Long ago, people wrote them in many different ways, like mushrom and mousheroms.

The word "mushroom" may come from a French word mousseron, which is related to moss. Some believe the word "toadstool" began in 14th-century England, naming a kind of stool for toads. This name often hints that the fungus might be poisonous.

Identification

To know if something is a mushroom, learn about their basic shape. Most mushrooms have a cap on top and a stem underneath, with lines called gills on the underside of the cap. These gills hold tiny particles called spores, which help mushrooms grow and spread.

One way to tell mushrooms apart is by making a spore print. If you cut off the cap and place it gill-side-down on a surface overnight, a powder-like print will form. This print shows the color of the spores and can help identify the mushroom. Scientists also use special tests and tools to learn more about mushrooms, but simple observations like smell, taste, and where they grow can be very useful.

Classification

Main articles: Sporocarp (fungus), Basidiocarp, and Ascocarp

Mushrooms are the parts of some fungi that grow above the ground, mostly from the order Agaricales. Popular mushrooms include the shiitake, oyster mushrooms, and fly agarics. Some mushrooms, like the lobster mushroom, have special shapes and colors because another fungus changes how they grow.

The word "mushroom" is used for many kinds of fungi that grow above ground. Not all have the usual cap and stem. Some have pores, others have spines, and there are even ones that look like jelly or coral. Scientists have found about 14,000 different types of mushrooms.

Morphology

A mushroom starts very small, from a tiny nodule called a primordium, and grows into a structure called a "button." As it grows, layers of tissue called veils may break and leave parts like a ring on the stem or patches on the cap. Mushrooms can have stems in the center, off to the side, or missing altogether.

The way the gills — the blade-like parts under the cap — attach to the stem can help identify different types of mushrooms. Some mushrooms have gills that stop short of the stem, while others have gills that run down the stem. Under a microscope, mushrooms have special cells that create spores, which help them reproduce. The spores' shape, size, and color are important for telling different mushrooms apart. The walls of mushroom cells are made of materials like glucans and chitin.

Growth

Many mushrooms look like they grow overnight, which is why we say things like "to mushroom" (meaning to grow quickly) and "to pop up like a mushroom." But mushrooms actually take several days to form their early stages, called primordial fruit bodies. They grow fast by soaking up water from their mycelium, a network of tiny threads.

Some mushrooms, like the cultivated mushroom, start very small and are called "pins" before they grow bigger. Others, such as Parasola plicatilis, can grow fully in just a few hours after rain and then shrink away later. Not all mushrooms grow fast—some, like Pleurotus nebrodensis, grow slowly and are now critically endangered. Even though mushroom bodies don’t last long, the hidden part, the mycelium, can live for thousands of years. One such network in Malheur National Forest in the United States is thought to be over 2,400 years old and covers a huge area.

Nutrition

Raw brown mushrooms are mostly water. They give us a little carbohydrates, protein, and fat. They are a good source of B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. They also have selenium and copper.

Mushrooms can give us vitamin D if they are touched by sunlight or ultraviolet light after they are picked. This changes something inside the mushrooms into vitamin D, so they become a helpful source of this important nutrient.

Human use

Further information: Ethnomycology

Edible mushrooms

Main article: Edible mushroom

Mushrooms are eaten in many cuisines, such as Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese. People have eaten them for thousands of years. Most mushrooms in supermarkets come from mushroom farms. The white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, is the most common. Other popular kinds are shiitake, maitake, and enoki. China grows the most edible mushrooms.

It is important to learn how to tell safe mushrooms from poisonous ones. People should only eat mushrooms they can identify correctly.

Toxic mushrooms

Some mushrooms have chemicals that can make people very sick. Only a few kinds are deadly, but many can cause bad feelings. These toxins help protect the mushroom from animals that might eat it.

Psychoactive mushrooms

Mushrooms that change the mind have been used for years in rituals. Psilocybin mushrooms, called "magic mushrooms," have a chemical named psilocybin. Scientists are looking at these mushrooms to see if they might help people with some mental health issues.

Folk medicine

Further information: Medicinal uses of fungi

In some places, mushrooms have been used in old healing ways. Some parts of mushrooms are used in medicine in a few countries, but more study is needed to learn all about them.

Other uses

Mushrooms can be used to color fabrics and to start fires. Scientists are also looking at mushrooms to help clean polluted places and help plants grow. They are studying ways to make mushrooms better for food and health.