Fungus Among Us Welcome to the Wonderful World of Fungi

Fungi Facts Fungi recycle plants after they die and turn them into rich soil Beautiful dyes are made from fungi Some fungi have chemicals in them that fight cancer Some mushroom grow in Fairy Rings that are over 10,000 years old around Stonehenge in England.

Button Mushrooms! Also known as: Agaricus bisporus Commonly known as Portabella, Crimini, and Baby Bella These are all the same mushroom

Beautiful Fungi

Truffles

White Truffle A New York restaurateur has paid a record $53,800 for a 1.08kg Italian white truffle at auction, according to the World News.

What are Mushrooms? Mushrooms are the spore-producing reproductive structures of certain kinds of fungi.

What Exactly are Fungi? They help make your bread light and fluffy and are used to ferment beer they are called Yeast Or on your old piece of bread It can grow on your shower curtain as mold or between your toes (ugh!!)

Decomposers Decompose or breakdown organic materials Fungi and bacteria are natures recyclers.

Saprophytes  A fungus secretes an enzyme that digests food outside itself  fungus cells absorb this food

Characteristics Grow in warm, humid conditions Body of a fungus is made of tiny thread-like tubes called HYPHAE

Hyphae Usually grow underground It feeds, grows and ultimately produces a new mushroom

Mycelium When you grow mushrooms and you send off for a growing kit, you may be sent something called mycelium. Mycelium is a collective term referring to a a large quantity of hyphae.

Spores  Reproductive cells that form new fungi without fertilization.  The structures in which make these spores are used to classify fungi.  You can make a spore print with a freshly picked mushroom cap

Chitin Spores are made of chitin The hardest naturally made substance on Earth Some scientists believe that spores are capable of space travel Some believe that fungi found on Earth originally came from outer space!!!

Spore Prints

Rust Spores These are the spores of a parasitic fungus that forms orangish-red colored spots on the leaves and stems of plants it grows on. It's called rust because of its color. The fungus usually doesn't kill its host, but may cause stunting and discoloration of the plant.

Yeast  Yeast produce by budding as well as with spores.  Budding- a form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism grows off the side of the parent.

Lichens An organism that is made of a fungus and either a green algae or a cynobacterium The form a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from each other

Lichen  They are a food source for many animals  Some grow on bare rock  Lichens help breakdown rocks

Killer Fungus