A fungus fruiting structure with spores (Mucor sp.).

The fruiting structure (con

diophore) has matured and the outer membrane is disintegrating and releasing spo
res (conidia). Mucor is often found as saprobes in soils, dead plant material (s
uch as hay), horse dung, and fruits. It is also found in house dust, air samples
, and old dirty carpets, and in water damaged moist building materials. Dust in
ventilation ducts may contain high concentrations of viable Mucor spores causing
allergic or asthmatic reactions. It is an opportunistic pathogen and may cause
mucorosis in immuno-compromised individuals.
In fungi, the sporocarp (also known as fruiting body or fruit body) is a multice
llular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, a
re borne. The fruiting body is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cycle,
with the rest of the life cycle being characterized by vegetative mycelial growt
h and asexual spore production.
The sporocarp of a basidiomycete is known as a basidiocarp, while the fruiting b
ody of an ascomycete is known as an ascocarp. A significant range of different s
hapes and morphologies is found in both basidiocarps and ascocarps; these featur
es play an important role in the identification and taxonomy of fungi.
The Fungus Kingdom is often but not always divided into seven phyla (sometimes c
alled divisions -- see our "Pigeon-Holing" page), as shown at the right.
If you look into books a few years old, a different breakdown will be given, and
different words used. The understanding of what fungi are and how they are rela
ted to one another is constantly changing. If you are really serious about havin
g access to the most recent information, check out a page called "Kingdoms, Clas
sification and Biodiversity" focusing on the fungi.
Below is a little information about the main phyla of fungi we might find and re
cognize in our backyards:
Basidiomycota
most common, larger species,such as gill fungi, pore fungi, stinkhorns, coral fu
ngi, puffballs, bird's nest fungi, jelly fungi, rusts, smuts & stem rot
Ascomycota
mildews, molds, morels
Zygomycota
bread molds and such
Glomeromycota
form mycorrhizae on higher plants
Chytridiomycota
microscopic, simplest of the true fungi, mostly aquatic and not something we can
do much with in our backyards
Blastocladiomycota
microscopic parasites and saprotrophs closely related to the above Chytridiomyco
ta
Neocallimastigomycota
microscopic, live in digestive systems of larger herbivorous mammals
Note: Earlier a large number of fungi for which sexual reproduction was unknown
were considered a formal phylum of the fungi and regarded as the fungi Imperfect
i
tructure of Fungi

The main body of most fungi is made up of fine, branching, usually colourless th
reads called hyphae. Each fungus will have vast numbers of these hyphae, all int
ertwining to make up a tangled web called the mycelium.
The mycelium is generally too fine to be seen by the naked eye, except where the
hyphae are very closely packed together. The picture on the left was taken thro
ugh a microscope. The hyphae are magnified 100 times life size.
Fungal fruiting body
The fruiting bodies of fungi contain spores, which are dispersed for reproductio
n. Mushrooms are a familiar example of a fruiting body. They are formed from hyp
hae, the tiny threads that make up the bulk of most fungi. A network of hyphae,
known as a mycelium, extends in all directions through the soil. This diagram sh
ows how the mycelium grows above the soil, developing into the stalk, cap and gi
lls. Spores are produced on the gills.
Some fungi, such as Honey Fungus, which is a parasite of woodland trees, have hy
phae collected together into long cables, called rhizomorphs. Because there are
so many hyphae packed together, they are easily seen, forming black 'bootlaces'.
These can spread through a woodland infecting neighboring trees.
Fairy Rings
Fungal mycelia tend to grow in more or less circular shapes. This is because the
y grow by spreading out in all directions from a central point. This central poi
nt represents the location of the original spore which germinated to start the f
ungal mycelium. The mycelium will usually produce fruiting bodies on its outer e
dge. As a result, the fruiting bodies of fungi living hidden in the soil can som
etimes be found in rings - the 'fairy rings' of children's stories.

The Clouded Agaric toadstool (right) is a good example of this. The fruiting bo
dies can often be found in rings, because they are produced on the outer growing
edge of the circular, underground mycelium. The Clouded Agaric can be found in
the leaf litter of both coniferous and deciduous woodland.
nother example is the 'Fairy Ring Toadstool' (Its scientific name is Marasmius o
reades). This, in contrast to the Clouded Agaric, grows on grassy expanses such
as lawns and golf courses. The fungus can be traced by the rings of dark green g
rass, with the mushrooms fruiting on the outer edge of the ring. The growth of t
he ring can be traced year on year. If there are no barriers, rings may grow out
wards at up to 20 cm per year. This is a fungus which fruits early in the year,
in the spring.
Fungal mycelium is mostly hidden from human view, not only because of its small
size, but also as a result of its location. The tangled mycelial mass is usuall
y hidden deep within its food sources, such as rotting matter in the soil, leaf
litter, rotting wood, or dead animals. The mycelium remains undetected until it
develops one or more fruiting bodies, containing the reproductive spores.