Mushroom introduction

What is a mushroom ?

Mushrooms don't have showy reproductive parts like a flower. Mushrooms need moisture and

the breeze to disperse their spores. Mushrooms release their spores from the underside of their

caps in a structure called gills or in spongy areas such as Boletes, Polypores, the ridges on

Chanterelles, pits as in Morels, or from the top as in cup fungus and puffballs.

Mushroom and lichen history

Our misguided view of mushrooms is carried over from Europe. Most mushrooms are beneficial,

while some are destructive - such as Wet and Dry Root.  Mushrooms were once believed to be

the results of Zeues's thunderbolts. Mushrooms were the places for gnomes and fairies to hide their

treasures. Mushrooms were the food of gods and only royality could eat them. 

Now some mushrooms are being considered for medicinal uses. Mushrooms were once classified as plants. 

 Mushrooms are more related to animals then plants.  Mushrooms are now placed in the Fungi Kingdom.

Primative mushroooms lived in the water and became terrestrial. During the Devonian Period mushrooms

became diversified.  Now there are about 1.5. million mushroom species world wide, about

80, 000 have been properly identified.  There are about 10 mushrooom to every green plant.

Mushrooms take in Oxygen and release Carbon Dioxide like us.  Most mushrooms are woodland

species, but some like the puffballs, horse mushrooms and lepiotas live fields. 

Lichens are the symbolic relationship between mushrooms and alge.  There are 20, 000  species

of lichens world wide. Lichens live in some of the harshest conditions and in every continent.

Lichens live on trees, rocks and leaves.  Like mosses they break down rocks and release minerals to 

the soil. Lichens are indicators of good qualiaty air. They usually don't live on young heathy trees,

because young trees shed bard frequently and lichens are long lived.  Lichens don't harm the trees

they live on.

Mushroom Reproduction

Mushrooms are similar to animals in the way they reproduce.  All mushrooms produce millions of   

spores in varied ways.  Spores develope into hyphal strands. Each hyphal strand cell has one

nucleus. If compatiable they form together to form the mycelium. The mycelium acts as a root

for the mushroom.  It usually takes 3 weeks for a mushroom to mature. Most mushrooms are

short lived , but ones like the * Cracked Cap Polypore can live for years.

Mushrooms get their nutrients in three ways with plants and animals.

1. Saprophytes -   Mushrooms that live on live plants

2. Parasites - Mushrooms that live on living plants and dead animals.

3. Mychrorrizal - Mushrooms that live in a symboitic relationship with plants.

Lichen Shape patterns

Lichens have three distinct shapes

1.  Crust like - ( Crustose)

2.  Leaf like - ( Foliose )

3. Shrub like -( Fruitose)