Mycology Cheatsheet
Basics
Mycology is the study of fungi.
Fungal Anatomy
Parts of a Fungus
- Mycelium: vegetative part of the fungus that grows underground or within a substrate
- Fruiting body: the reproductive structure of a fungus; includes mushrooms, puffballs, and brackets
- Hyphae: long, branching filaments that make up the mycelium
- Spores: reproductive cells of fungi; used for dispersal and can be produced sexually or asexually
Types of Fungi
- Saprophytic: feed on dead or decaying organic matter
- Parasitic: feed on living organisms
- Mycorrhizal: form symbiotic relationships with plant roots
Fungal Classification
Fungi are classified based on their reproductive structures:
- Zygomycetes: reproduce by forming zygospores; includes bread molds
- Ascomycetes: reproduce by forming ascospores; includes yeasts, truffles, and morels
- Basidiomycetes: reproduce by forming basidiospores; includes mushrooms, puffballs, and brackets
Mycological Techniques
Culturing Fungi
Fungi can be grown in a lab using a variety of media, such as:
- Agar plates: sterile petri dishes containing a nutrient-rich agar medium
- Liquid cultures: liquid nutrient media used for growing large quantities of fungal mycelium
- Spawn: a small amount of colonized substrate used to inoculate larger batches of medium
Microscopy
Mycologists use microscopes to examine fungal structures, including:
- Hyphae: individual filaments of the mycelium
- Spores: used for identification and classification of fungi
- Fruiting bodies: used to identify mushrooms and other reproductive structures
DNA Sequencing
DNA sequencing can be used to identify and classify fungi at the molecular level.
Resources