Understanding Fungi

Fungal structure

Fungi are made up of super tiny, microscopic, tubular, thread-like structures called hyphae.

Hyphae grown and branch from their tips, forming a network called the mycelium. The mycelium then forms structures like mushrooms, brackets or puffballs. Fungi spread by minute spores visible only under a microscope.

 

 

Spores

Do you know that mushrooms leave spore prints in nature? Next time, look closely at a wet leaf directly underneath a mushroom cap. The colored dust covering it is actually thousands, perhaps millions, of spores left behind.

Scientists use spore color as a way to identify mushrooms and toadstools. Making a spore print can help us see spore color.