Portal:Fungi

The Fungi Portal

A fungus is any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. The Fungi are classified as a kingdom that is separate from plants and animals. The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology or fungal biology, which is historically regarded as a branch of botany, even though genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. Fungi reproduce via spores and grow as hyphae, mycelia, and futher specialized structures. Fungal spores are often produced on specialized structures or in fruiting bodies, such as the head of a mushroom. Abundant worldwide, most fungi are mostly invisible to the naked eye because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil, on dead matter, and as symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange. They have long been used as a direct source of food, such as mushrooms and truffles, as a leavening agent for bread, and in fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce.

Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological agents to control weeds and pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species are consumed recreationally or in traditional ceremonies as a source of psychotropic compounds. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies. Despite their importance on human affairs, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at around 1.5 million species, with about 5% of these having been formally classified.

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Selected article

Lycoperdon echinatum, commonly known as the spiny puffball or the spring puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus Lycoperdon. The saprobic species has been found in Africa, Europe, Central America and North America, where it grows on soil in deciduous woods, glades, and pastures. It has been proposed that North American specimens be considered a separate species, Lycoperdon americanum, but this suggestion has not been followed by most authors. Molecular analysis indicates that Lycoperdon echinatum is closely related to the puffball genus Handkea.

The fruit bodies of L. echinatum are 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) wide by 2–3.5 cm (0.8–1.4 in) tall, supported by a small base, and densely covered with spines that are up to 0.6 cm (0.2 in) long. The spines can fall off in maturity, leaving a net-like pattern of scars on the underlying surface. Initially white in color, the puffballs turn a dark brown as they mature, at the same time changing from nearly round to somewhat flattened. Young specimens of L. echinatum resemble another edible spiny puffball, Lycoperdon pulcherrimum, but this latter species does not turn brown as it ages. The fruit bodies are edible when young, when the interior is white and firm and before it has turned into a powdery brown mass of spores. Laboratory tests have shown that extracts of the fruit bodies can inhibit the growth of several bacteria that are pathogenic to humans.

Selected species

Auricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's ear, jelly ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales mushroom found worldwide. Distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown colouration, it grows upon wood, especially elder. Its specific name is derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hung himself from an elder tree; the common name "Judas's ear" eventually became "Jew's ear", while today "jelly ear" or other names are sometimes used. The mushroom can be found throughout the year in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, where it grows upon both dead and living wood. Although it is not regarded as a choice edible mushroom in the west, it has long been popular in China, to the extent that Australia exported large volumes of the mushroom to China in the early twentieth century.

While not widely consumed in the west, A. auricula-judae was used in folk medicine as recently as the 19th century, for complaints including sore throats, sore eyes and jaundice, and as an astringent. Today, the mushroom is still used for medicinal purposes in China, where soups featuring it are used as a remedy for colds; it is also used in Ghana, as a blood tonic. Modern research into possible medical applications have variously concluded that A. auricula-judae has antitumour, hypoglycemic, anticoagulant and cholesterol-lowering properties.

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Assess some fungi articles.
Join Wikipedia:WikiProject Fungi or ask on the talk page.
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Write fungi-related articles from scratch. For ideas of needed articles, see the redlinks on-
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Fungi/List of unwritten articles (high priority)
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Missing encyclopedic articles/Skysmith's list of missing articles/Biology/Fungi
- Members of Category:Lists of fungal species
Review the fungi articles flagged as needing attention.

WikiProjects

WikiProjects related to fungi:

WikiProject Science
- WikiProject Biology
  - WikiProject Tree of Life
    - WikiProject Fungi
WikiProject Medicine
WikiProject Food

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Selected picture

Rigidoporus laetus, a species of plant pathogen from the genus Rigidoporus, photographed Mt Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia.

Did you know?

... that consumption of the psychoactive mushroom Psilocybe argentipes by mice who compulsively bury marbles significantly inhibits this behaviour?
... that the mushroom Entoloma austroprunicolor of Tasmania's wet forests changes from bluish-purple, to reddish purple, to purplish grey as it ages?
... that Disciotis venosa, Hygrophorus subalpinus, Mycena overholtsii, Plectania nannfeldtii, Ramaria botrytis, and Clitocybe glacialis are all mushrooms that grow in or near snowbanks?
... that the spiny puffball, an edible fungus, can inhibit the growth of several bacteria pathogenic to humans?
... that Cantharellus lateritius may typically be distinguished from other chanterelles by its smooth under surface?

General images -

The following are images from various fungi-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Tinea corporis (from Fungal infection)
Image 2Psilocybe zapotecorum, a hallucinogenic mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 3Neurospora crassa life cycle. The haploid mycelium reproduces asexually by two processes: (1) simple proliferation of existing mycelium, and (2) formation of conidia (macro- and micro-) which can be dispersed and then germinate to produce new mycelium. In the sexual cycle, mating can only occur between individual strains of different mating type, A and a. Fertilization occurs by the passage of nuclei of conidia or mycelium of one mating type into the protoperithecia of the opposite mating type through the trichogyne. Fusion of the nuclei of opposite mating types occurs within the protoperithecium to form a zygote (2N) nucleus. (from Mating in fungi)
Image 4Young Amanita phalloides "death cap" mushrooms, with a matchbox for size comparison (from Mushroom)
Image 5There are over 100 psychoactive mushroom species of genus Psilocybe native to regions all around the world. (from Mushroom)
Image 6Maitake, a polypore mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 7
Roles of fungi in the marine carbon cycle
Roles of fungi in the marine carbon cycle by processing phytoplankton-derived organic matter. Parasitic fungi, as well as saprotrophic fungi, directly assimilate phytoplankton organic carbon. By releasing zoospores, the fungi bridge the trophic linkage to zooplankton, known as the mycoloop. By modifying the particulate and dissolved organic carbon, they can affect bacteria and the microbial loop. These processes may modify marine snow chemical composition and the subsequent functioning of the biological carbon pump. (from Marine fungi)
Image 8
Driftwood
(from Marine fungi)
Image 9Chytrid parasites of marine diatoms. (A) Chytrid sporangia on Pleurosigma sp. The white arrow indicates the operculate discharge pore. (B) Rhizoids (white arrow) extending into diatom host. (C) Chlorophyll aggregates localized to infection sites (white arrows). (D and E) Single hosts bearing multiple zoosporangia at different stages of development. The white arrow in panel E highlights branching rhizoids. (F) Endobiotic chytrid-like sporangia within diatom frustule. Bars = 10 μm. (from Marine fungi)
Image 10Phylogenetic and symbiogenetic tree of living organisms, showing a view of the origins of eukaryotes and prokaryotes (from Marine fungi)
Image 11
Lichen covered rocks
(from Marine fungi)
Image 12The blue gills of Lactarius indigo, a milk-cap mushroom (from Mushroom)
Image 13Yellow flower pot mushrooms (Leucocoprinus birnbaumii) at various states of development (from Mushroom)
Image 14Fungi within Zygomycota form progametangia with suspensors during mating (from Mating in fungi)
Image 15
Mycoloop links between phytoplankton and zooplankton
Chytrid‐mediated trophic links between phytoplankton and zooplankton (mycoloop). While small phytoplankton species can be grazed upon by zooplankton, large phytoplankton species constitute poorly edible or even inedible prey. Chytrid infections on large phytoplankton can induce changes in palatability, as a result of host aggregation (reduced edibility) or mechanistic fragmentation of cells or filaments (increased palatability). First, chytrid parasites extract and repack nutrients and energy from their hosts in form of readily edible zoospores. Second, infected and fragmented hosts including attached sporangia can also be ingested by grazers (i.e. concomitant predation). (from Marine fungi)
Image 16A mushroom (probably Russula brevipes) parasitized by Hypomyces lactifluorum resulting in a "lobster mushroom" (from Mushroom)
Image 17Typical mating fusion of two compatible monokaryons in Basidiomycota (from Mating in fungi)
Image 18Morchella elata asci viewed with phase contrast microscopy (from Mushroom)
Image 19
Diagram of a mycoloop (fungus loop)
Parasitic chytrids can transfer material from large inedible phytoplankton to zooplankton. Chytrids zoospores are excellent food for zooplankton in terms of size (2–5 μm in diameter), shape, nutritional quality (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterols). Large colonies of host phytoplankton may also be fragmented by chytrid infections and become edible to zooplankton. (from Marine fungi)
Image 2040x brightfield microscopy of Pestalotia/Pestalotiopsis spores. Note the appendages. Some strains (Pestalotiopsis pauciseta) produce taxol. (from Medicinal fungi)
Image 21Morphological characteristics of the caps of mushrooms (from Mushroom)
Image 22The psychotropic mushroom Amanita muscaria, commonly known as "fly agaric" (from Mushroom)
Image 23Morphological diversity of fungi collected from a marine sponge species, Ircinia variabilis (from Marine fungi)
Image 24Ling Zhi-8, an immunomodulatory protein isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (from Medicinal fungi)
Image 25A tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius (from Mushroom)
Image 26Pityriasis versicolor (from Fungal infection)
Image 27Agaricus bitorquis mushroom emerging through asphalt concrete in summer (from Mushroom)
Image 28The Agaricus bisporus, one of the most widely cultivated and popular mushrooms in the world (from Mushroom)
Image 29Fungi within Ascomycota form ascogonium and antheridium with trichogyne bridge (from Mating in fungi)
Image 30Oral candidiasis (from Fungal infection)
Image 31Onychomycosis (from Fungal infection)
Image 32Ganoderma lingzhi (from Mushroom)
Image 33The photochemistry of vitamin D₂ biosynthesis (from Medicinal fungi)
Image 34Culinary mushrooms are available in a wide diversity of shapes and colors at this market stand at the San Francisco Ferry Building. (from Mushroom)
Image 35Eumycetoma (from Fungal infection)
Image 36Pennate diatom from an Arctic meltpond, infected with two chytrid-like [zoo-]sporangium fungal pathogens (in false-colour red). Scale bar = 10 µm. (from Marine fungi)
Image 37Mushrooms are considered a kind of fungal reproductive organ. (from Mycology)
Image 38Salmon with fungal disease (from Marine fungi)
Image 39Amanita jacksonii buttons emerging from their universal veils (from Mushroom)
Image 40Amanita muscaria, the most easily recognised "toadstool", is frequently depicted in fairy stories and on greeting cards. It is often associated with gnomes. (from Mushroom)
Image 41The red yeast rice fungus, Monascus purpureus, can synthesize three statins. (from Medicinal fungi)
Image 42Group photograph taken at a meeting of the British Mycological Society in 1913 (from Mycology)

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Topics

Fungi: Bracket fungus, carnivorous fungus, coprophilous fungi, entomopathogenic fungus, evolution of fungi, lichen, mushroom, mycology (lichenology, mycotoxicology, paleomycology), mycorrhiza, pathogenic fungi, puffball, wood-decay fungus

Fungal orders: Chytridiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Zygomycota, Glomeromycota. Dikarya: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota

Fungi lists: Species: Agaricus species, Amanita species, Boletus species, Cortinarius species, Cyathus species, Hygrocybe species, Hygrophorus species, Inocybe species, Lactarius species, Mycosphaerella species, Panaeolus species, Psilocybe species, Russula species, Scleroderma species Other lists: Mycology journals, psilocybin mushrooms

Uses: Edible mushroom, mushroom poisoning, psilocybin mushrooms, mushroom hunting, fungiculture, fermentation, baker's yeast, mycoremediation, lichenometry, mushroom dye

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