The Shroomery Mycology Glossary
This glossary is to serve as a reference for both beginners and the advanced. Please e-mail us if you have any definitions that you feel should be added here.
You are also invited to pay a visit to The Shroomery Mushroom Glossary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z allA | |
abruptly bulbous (shape of stipe, i.e. stem, base) | a bulbous stipe base with a distinct margin and an upper surface either attached at a right angle to the stipe or sloping upward to the stipe; the upper surface is not shaped like the edge of a saucer as in a marginate-depressed bulb (when the upper surface is attached at a right angle, abruptly bulbous marginate bulb) |
acanthocytes | needle-like crystalline deposits on the mycelium of certain muchrooms |
acrid | intensely sharp and burning (peppery) |
aculeate | having narrow spines; spores of Laccaria which are round and have narrow spines on the outer wall |
acute | sharp or pointed |
adnate | used to describe gills attached to the stem for their total width |
adnexed | gills tapering toward the stem so that their attachment is narrow |
aequi-hymeniiferous | hymenium having basidia which mature evenly all over the surface of each lamella (from Ainsworth and Bisby, "Dictionary of the Fungi"); in opposition to inaequi-hymeniiferous |
Agaric | a member of the Agaricaceae (sensu lato); often considered a synonym of the mushroom |
alveolate | surface of spore or cap (pileus) with broad pits |
amyloid | blue black when stained with Meltzers iodine |
anastomosing | gills connected by cross-veins |
annulus | ring of tissue on the stem left from a torn partial veil; collar |
apical pore | in certain Gastromycetes, the mouth at the top of the spore case through which the spores are released; in spores, a germ pore |
apiculus | the projection on a spore by which it is attached to the sterigma (spore stalk) |
apothecium | open saucer-shaped fruit body in a group of Ascomycetes called Discomycetes |
appendiculate | used to describe the cap margin when hung with veil fragments |
appressed | flattened down on a surface |
areolate | cap surface cracked into plaques or blocks (like dried mud) |
ascocarp | fruiting body of Ascomycetes |
Ascomycete | name of fungal group that all bear spores in sac-like cells called asci (see ascus ) |
ascus | the cylindrical or club-shaped spore-producing cell that characterises the Ascomycetes. Contains (usually 8) ascospores |
aspect | the overall shape of a fruiting body as determined by the portions of its parts |
autodigestion | self digesting or liquefying. Characteristic of the genus Coprinus |
B | |
basal | at or near the base |
basal tomentum | mycelium located at the base of the stipe; at times forming a velvety layer on the stipe base |
basidiocarp | fruiting body in which basidia and basidiospores are produced |
Basidiomycete | name of fungal group that all bear spores on basidia (see basidium) |
basidiospore | spores borne by basidia (see basidium) |
basidium | club shaped sexual spore producing cell (or cells) that characterises the Basidiomycetes |
bifurcate | divided into two branches of equal or unequal length; often used to describe the branching pattern of gills (particularly in the genus Russula) |
biscoctiform | biscuit-shaped |
buff | an indefinite pale color; pale dull yellow or very pale tan |
bulbous | usually used to describe the swollen base of a stem |
bulliform | bubble-shaped, swollen |
bursiform | bag-like |
button | a young fruiting body before it has opened up |
C | |
caespitose | crowded together in a cluster but not attached to each other |
campanulate | bell shaped |
cap | top part of a mushroom which bears the fertile tissue |
capillitium | modified hyphae mixed with spores in the Gasteromycetes |
carpophore | name given to the stem, cap and gills (fruiting body as a whole) |
cartilaginous | used to describe consistency of stem tissue; does not bend but breaks with a snap |
caulocystidium | a cystidium on the stem |
cellular | where the outermost layer of the cap (cuticle) is made up of spherical cells |
cheilocystidium | a cystidium on the edge of a gill |
chryocystidium | a cystidium that stains yellow in KOH or ammonia |
cinereous | ash grey in colour |
clamp connections | semi-circular side branches that grow around the septa in many basidiomycetes |
clavate | club-shaped |
concolourous | of the same colour |
context | the flesh of the fungus |
convergent | used to describe the central tissue of the gill when it curves towards the mid-line |
convex | used to describe a cap that is regularly rounded or broadly obtuse |
coprophilous | inhabiting dung |
coriaceous | leathery |
cortina | a cob-web like partial veil of silky fibres |
crenate | scalloped |
cuticle | the surface layer of the cap or stem, usually distinct from the flesh |
cystidium | special large sterile cells amongst the basidia on the gills of many fungi – often of distinctive shape and used in classification. Also found on surfaces of cap and stem. |
D | |
decurrent | gills running down the stem (like chanterelles) |
depressed | used to describe a cap where the central portion lower than the margin |
dextrinoid | staining brick red with Meltzers iodine |
diaphragm | a thin membrane that separates the gleba from the stem in a puffball |
dichotomous | equally forking into two (used for gills) |
dimitic | when two types of hyphae are present in tissues of members of Polyporaceae |
distant | of gills that are widely spaced |
divergent | used to describe the central flesh of gills where hyphae turn outwards from the mid-line |
E | |
eccentric | off set to one side. used to describe how the stem attaches to the cap. |
echiniulate | covered in spines |
ellipsoid | rugby football shaped |
emarginate | of gills notched near the stem, similar to sinuate but with a much more conspicuous notch |
endoperidium | the innermost wall of the fruit body of Gasteromycetes |
evanescent | ephemeral, soon disappearing |
exdoperidium | the outermost wall of the fruit body of Gasteromycetes |
F | |
farinaceous | smells and tastes of flour |
fibrillose | used of cap or stem surface with thin thread-like filaments which are more or less parallel |
fibrose | composed of tough, stringy material |
filamentous | of caps with a cuticle composed of elongate hyphae as in the mycelium (not globose cells) |
fimbriate | fringed with cystidia or finely torn |
floccose | covered in loose cottony scales |
foetid | with a strong offensive smell. (also spelled "fetid") |
free | gills do not attach to the stem |
fugaceous | soon disappearing e.g. used of scales |
furfuraceous | covered in tiny particles like sand grains |
fusiform | spindle-shaped tapering at both ends |
G | |
gelatinous | jelly like |
gills | the plates of tissue bearing the hymenium in an Agaric |
gleba | the tissues enclosed within the fruit bodies of the Gasteromycetes |
glutinous | when cap surface is covered with a slimy layer of gelatinous hyphae |
granulose | covered with small granules |
H | |
hirsute | hairy |
hispid | covered with stiff bristle-like hairs usually visible to the naked eye. |
hyaline | clear and colourless |
hygrophanous | of water-soaked appearance and translucent, changing colour on drying (usually paler) and more opaque |
hymenium | the fertile sexual spore-bearing tissues (In an Agaric this covers the gills.) |
hyphae | filamentous threads of a fungal mycelium |
hypogeous | a fruit-body produced below ground – like truffles |
I | |
imbricate | overlapping like roof tiles |
infundibuliform | funnel-shaped |
innate | of scales not readily detached as in Lepiota |
intermediate | used of gills that do not reach the stem |
involute | of the cap rolled inwards at the margin |
L | |
lacunose | a surface with wide sunken pits like an irregular honey comb |
lamellae | other name for gills |
lamellate | with gills |
lamellulae | gills that don’t reach the stem interspersed between lamellae |
latex | fluid often milky that oozes from cut surfaces in some species. Characteristic of Lactarius |
lignicolous | growing on wood |
luminescent | emission of light, glows in the dark. Characteristic of some fungi e.g. Omphalotus |
M | |
margin | The edge or rim of a mushroom cap. |
marginate | when there is a small circular ridge around the bulb at the base of the stem where the universal veil was attached |
milk | fluid contained inside a mushroom which often becomes sticky when released. |
mucilaginous | sticky, covered in slime |
mycelium | the whole body of a fungus. colony of hyphae arising from one inoculation |
mycorrhiza | a structure formed between a fungus and individual root tips that enables exchange nutrients OR a mutualistic symbiosis between roots and a fungus |
P | |
pallid | off white |
paraphysis | a sterile hair like or club-shaped cell found in amongs the asci of Ascomycetes |
parasite | an heterotrophic organism that needs to obtain its organic nutrients from a living organism |
partial veil | a membrane of sterile tissue stretching between the edge of the cap and the stem to cover the gills in some agarics during development |
pedicel | stalk usually used to describe the short stem on puff ball spores |
perforate | with holes |
peridioles | largish bodies that contain the spore enclosed within the peridium in the birds nest fungi (Nidulariales) They are dispersed as a unit. |
peridium | the outer wall of a fungus, especially puffballs |
perithecium | the flask-shaped fruiting bodies of certain Ascomycetes. They contain asci |
peronate | of stems ensheathed by a volva |
pileus | a cap especially in Agarics |
pilose | with long hairs |
plage | a smooth area just below the apiculus found on some rough spores |
plane | flat especially of caps in agarics |
pleurocystidium | cystidium occurring on the face of a gill |
plicate | folded like a fan; especially of caps in agarics |
popres | the orifices of the tubes of Polyporaceae |
pruinose | covered with a bloom rather like chalk dust; finely powdered |
psybucha | a fermented drink made of genetically modified yeast producing classical psychedelics and bioluminescent bacteria |
psymbiosis | the metabolic engineering of human gut microbiota for the biosynthesis of classical psychedelics |
pubescent | covered with fine short hairs |
punctate | marked with minute dots points scales or hollows |
R | |
repand | upturned especially of caps in Agarics |
resupinate | fruiting structure that lies flat on the substratum with the hymenium covering the upper surface |
reticulate | net-like, marks made by lines veins or ridges which cross one another |
rhizomorph | a mycelial strand where hyphae aggregate together in parallel. Commonly found attached to the base of fruiting bodies |
rimose | splitting radially |
ring | the membranous remnant of the partial veil |
rugose | coarsely wrinkled |
rugulose | finely wrinkled |
S | |
saccate | of the volva cup or bag-shaped |
saprophyte | obtaining organic nutrients from dead material |
scabrous | rough with short projections in the form of granules or scales |
sclerotium | a (often spherical) aggregate of hyphae often with a hard dark-coloured rind, generally thought to be a resting stage with better capacity for survival than mycelium . It can germinate to produce hyphae, or fruit bodies. |
septate | divided by cross walls |
serrate | saw-toothed,used to describe the margin of gills |
serrulate | finely toothed |
sessile | without a stalk |
sinuate | notched used to describe gills which have a notch before attaching to the stem |
sphaerocysts | globose cells in the flesh of Russulaceae, Hypholoma and Stropharia |
spore | reproductive structure often of a single rounded cell with a thickened wall that disseminates the fungus |
sporophore | fungal fruiting body |
squamose | covered with scales |
squamulose | covered with minute scales |
squamulose | covered with very small scales |
stellate | star-shaped |
stem | stipe |
sterigma | the stem at the top of the basidium which bears each spore |
stipe | stem usually of a toadstool |
stipitate | with a stem |
striate | with fine radiating lines or furrows around the cap margin |
stroma | a hard conglomerate of hyphae , found in some Ascomycetes |
subdecurrent | where gills run down the stem for only a short distance |
subglobose | almost spherical |
subhymenium | differentiated tissue that gives rise to the hymenium |
subovoid | not quite round |
substrate | the material on whioch a fungus grows e.g. on wood |
subtormentose | more or less woolly |
sulcate | grooved |
superior | where the ring is attached above the middle of the stem |
T | |
tormentose | densely woolly; velvety or with thick soft hairs |
trama | name given to the flesh or context of the cap or gills |
truncate | ending abruptly as if cut off |
tubes | hollow cylindrical structures that bear the hymenium . They replace the gills in polypores |
U | |
umbilicate | used to describe cap having a central depression |
umbo | a raised conical mound on the centre of the cap |
umbonate | cap with a raised knob in the centre |
ungulate | hoof-shaped |
universal veil | a membrane that initially entirely surrounds the fruiting body. It is broken as the cap expands the stem extends and the gills mature |
V | |
veil | a thin membrane covering the gills during the development of the toadstool |
ventricose | enlarged in the middle |
verrucose | covered with small rounded warts - used to describe rough spores |
vinaceous | pinkish |
viscid | slimy |
volva | the expanded bulbous remains of the universal veil found at the base of the stipe in some toadstools e.g. Amanita and Lepiota . |
Z | |
zonate | marked with concentric bands of colour |