- arbuscular mycorrhiza
- mycorrhizal association in which the fungal hyphae enter the root cells and form extensive networks
- Arbuscular mycorrhizae
- mycorrhizae commonly involving Glomeromycetes in which the fungal hyphae penetrate the cell walls of the plant root cells (but not the cell membranes)
- ascocarp
- fruiting body of ascomycetes
- Ascomycota
- (also, sac fungi) phylum of fungi that store spores in a sac called ascus
- basidiocarp
- fruiting body that protrudes from the ground and bears the basidia
- Basidiomycota
- (also, club fungi) phylum of fungi that produce club-shaped structures (basidia) that contain spores
- basidium
- club-shaped fruiting body of basidiomycetes
- Chytridiomycota
- (also, chytrids) primitive phylum of fungi that live in water and produce gametes with flagella
- coenocytic hypha
- single hypha that lacks septa and contains many nuclei
- commensalism
- symbiotic relationship in which one member benefits while the other member is not affected
- Deuteromycota
- former form phylum of fungi that do not have a known sexual reproductive cycle (presently members of two phyla: Ascomycota and Basidiomycota)
- ectomycorrhiza
- mycorrhizal fungi that surround the roots with a mantle and have a Hartig net that extends into the roots between cells
- Ectomycorrhizae
- mycorrhizae in which the fungal hyphae do not penetrate the root cells of the plant
- facultative anaerobes
- organisms that can perform both aerobic and anaerobic respiration and can survive in oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environment
- Glomeromycota
- phylum of fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of trees
- haustoria
- modified hyphae on many parasitic fungi that penetrate the tissues of their hosts, release digestive enzymes, and/or absorb nutrients from the host
- heterothallic
- describes when only one mating type is present in an individual mycelium
- homothallic
- describes when both mating types are present in mycelium
- hypha
- fungal filament composed of one or more cells
- karyogamy
- fusion of nuclei
- lichen
- close association of a fungus with a photosynthetic alga or bacterium that benefits both partners
- mold
- tangle of visible mycelia with a fuzzy appearance
- mycelium
- mass of fungal hyphae
- mycetismus
- ingestion of toxins in poisonous mushrooms
- mycology
- scientific study of fungi
- mycorrhiza
- mutualistic association between fungi and vascular plant roots
- mycorrhizae
- a mutualistic relationship between a plant and a fungus. Mycorrhizae are connections between fungal hyphae, which provide soil minerals to the plant, and plant roots, which provide carbohydrates to the fungus
- mycosis
- fungal infection
- mycotoxicosis
- poisoning by a fungal toxin released in food
- obligate aerobes
- organisms, such as humans, that must perform aerobic respiration to survive
- obligate anaerobes
- organisms that only perform anaerobic respiration and often cannot survive in the presence of oxygen
- parasitism
- symbiotic relationship in which one member of the association benefits at the expense of the other
- plasmogamy
- fusion of cytoplasm
- saprobe
- organism that derives nutrients from decaying organic matter; also saprophyte
- septa
- cell wall division between hyphae
- soredia
- clusters of algal cells and mycelia that allow lichens to propagate
- sporangium
- reproductive sac that contains spores
- spore
- a haploid cell that can undergo mitosis to form a multicellular, haploid individual
- thallus
- vegetative body of a fungus
- yeast
- general term used to describe unicellular fungi
- Zygomycota
- (also, conjugated fungi) phylum of fungi that form a zygote contained in a zygospore
- zygospore
- structure with thick cell wall that contains the zygote in zygomycetes