Mushroom

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. The word "mushroom" most often refers to the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, which has a stem, a cap, and gills on the underside of the cap. These gills produce tiny spores that help the fungus spread.

Mushrooms grow from underground mycelium and can appear very quickly when conditions are right. They come in many shapes and sizes, and some have special names like "bolete", "truffle", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel".

People use mushrooms in many ways. Some are eaten and are both tasty and good for you, while others can be harmful or even change how your mind works. Mushrooms also have important roles in nature and in making medicines.

Etymology

The words "mushroom" and "toadstool" have been used for many centuries, but they were never clearly defined. Long ago, people used many different spellings like mushrom and mussheron.

The word "mushroom" might come from the French word mousseron, which is related to moss (mousse). Some mushrooms are safe to eat, while others are poisonous. The word toadstool first appeared in 14th-century England and described a "stool" for toads. Even today, toadstool usually means a poisonous mushroom.

Identification

To tell if something is a mushroom, it helps to know about their basic parts. Most mushrooms have a cap, a stem, and gills under the cap. They make tiny particles called spores on their gills, which can leave a colored powder if the cap is placed gill-side-down. This powder, called a spore print, can be white, brown, black, or other colors, and it helps scientists identify different kinds of mushrooms.

People who study mushrooms look at many things to identify them, like their color, smell, taste, and where they grow. They also use special tests and tools to learn more. Identifying mushrooms can be tricky, especially for beginners, because some mushrooms look similar but have very different properties.

Classification

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

Mushrooms are the fruit bodies of certain fungi, especially those in the order Agaricales. Well-known mushrooms include the fairy-ring mushroom, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms, and fly agarics. Some mushrooms, like the lobster mushroom, have unusual shapes due to parasites.

The word "mushroom" is used for many different types of fungi, including those with pores, spines, or other special features. This makes it a general term rather than a specific scientific category. Scientists have described around 14,000 species of mushrooms.

Morphology

A mushroom grows from a tiny pinhead called a primordium, formed from threadlike structures called hyphae. As it grows, it becomes a small round shape called a button, which may have a layer of tissue around it called a veil. When the mushroom grows larger, this veil may break and leave parts like a ring on the stem or patches on the cap.

The stem, or stipe, can be in the center or to the side, and some mushrooms do not have a stem at all. The way the gills — the blade-like parts under the cap — attach to the stem can help identify the mushroom. Some gills stop short of the stem, while others run down it. Tiny parts inside the mushroom, like spores and special cells, are important for scientists to study when identifying different kinds of mushrooms.

Growth

Many mushrooms seem to appear overnight because they grow very quickly. This fast growth gave us expressions like "to mushroom" (meaning to grow rapidly) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (meaning to appear suddenly). In reality, mushrooms take several days to form their early stages, called the pin stage, before they expand quickly by soaking up water.

Some mushrooms, like the Parasola plicatilis, can grow fast overnight after rain and then shrink away by the afternoon. Other mushrooms, such as Pleurotus nebrodensis, grow much more slowly. Even though the mushroom part doesn’t live long, the hidden network of threads called mycelium can live for many years. One such network in Malheur National Forest in the United States is estimated to be over 2,400 years old and covers a huge area.

Nutrition

Raw brown mushrooms are mostly water, with small amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. They provide some calories and are a good source of important nutrients like B vitamins, selenium, and copper.

Mushrooms can also provide vitamin D, especially if they are exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light after being harvested. This process changes a natural substance in mushrooms into vitamin D, making them a useful source of this important nutrient.

Human use

Further information: Ethnomycology

Edible mushrooms

Main article: Edible mushroom

Mushrooms are widely used in cooking across many cuisines, including Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese. They have been enjoyed as food since ancient times. Most mushrooms found in supermarkets are grown on farms. The most common one is Agaricus bisporus, which is safe to eat because it is grown in clean, controlled conditions. Other popular types include shiitake, maitake, and enoki. China leads in mushroom production, eating about half of all mushrooms grown worldwide.

Eating wild mushrooms can be risky because some are poisonous. It’s important to know how to identify them properly before eating them.

Toxic mushrooms

Many mushrooms produce chemicals that can be harmful. While only a few are deadly, others can cause unpleasant symptoms. These toxins might help protect the mushroom by making it taste bad or causing illness in animals that try to eat them.

Psychoactive mushrooms

Mushrooms with mind-altering properties have been used for centuries in rituals around the world. One well-known type is the psilocybin mushroom, often called a “magic mushroom.” These mushrooms are studied for their potential to help with mental health issues and addiction. Another type, found in some Amanita species, can also change how a person feels, though it must be prepared carefully.

Folk medicine

Some mushrooms are used in traditional medicine. Extracts from certain mushrooms are used in some countries as treatments, but more research is needed to prove their safety and effectiveness.

Other uses

Mushrooms can be used to dye fabrics and as fire starters. They are also being studied for cleaning the environment and improving plant growth. Scientists are working to develop mushrooms with better nutritional and medical properties.