Leocarpus fragilis – Slime mould
adnate –refers to fills/pores/wrinkles/teeth, broadly attached to top of stem
adnexed– refers to gills/pores/wrinkles/teeth, partially attached to top of stem
Agaric– the word often used synonymously with ‘mushroom’ – a fungus that produces spores on gills.
anastomosing – cross connections between gills
annulus-a remnant of the partial veil left as the mushroom matures. It often leaves a ring of membranous tissue around the stem (stipe)
Ascomycota – funga with sexual spores borne in a flask-shaped structure called an ascus
ascus –microscopic flask-like structure containing sexual spores of Ascomycota
basal disc – disc-like structure at the base of the stem, as in Pixie’s Parasol
Basidiomycota– fungi with sexual spores borne on the outside of a special club-shaped structure called a basidium
basidium –microscopic club-like structure with prongs on which are sexual spores.
bifid – divided into two
Bolete– soft textured fungi which generally have pores instead of gills
bracket – pored fungus with a bracket-shaped sporing-body on trees or dead wood. A similar shaped sporing-body without pores is referred to as either a shelf or a fan
bryophyte – a collective name for mosses, liverworts and hornworts
bulbous– a bulb-like swelling at the base of the stem (stipe), often underground
button –immature specimen
caespitose – with fruit-bodies growing in a dense clump
cap– pileus which is the umbrella or bell-like ‘hat’ of the mushroom. The pileus holds the spores in either gills or pores, wrinkles or teeth
carpophore –complete fruit body of the fungus (ie. cap, stem, gills, etc). Sporophore and sporocarp are other names also used
clavate – club-shaped
close – refers to gill spacing; neither crowded nor distant
cluster cup – cylindrical fruit-body of one of the stages in the live cycle of rusts
concentric – with circular or arc-like zones or bands having a common centre
convex – of caps, rounded or domed
convoluted – wrinkled, brain-like, intricately folded
coprophilous – growing on dung
cortina – cobweb-like partial veil
crowded – refers to gill spacing, very close together
decurrent – refers to gills/pores/wrinkles/teeth whose attachment to the stem extends down for some distance
cup –description given to the saucer shape of the Ascomycetes group
deliquescent – liquefying at maturity, common among Ink-caps
depressed – of caps, sunk in the centre like a saucer
distant – refers to gills, widely spaced
downy – with soft, fluffy hairs
egg – initial egg-shaped stage of some fungi which have a universal veil covering the developing cap and stem (stinkhorns, amanitas, puffballs)
endoperidium – inner layer of a multilayered perineum, covering the spore mass
exoperidium – typically of earthstars and stalked puffballs, outer layer of a multilayered peridium
face –side of a gill
family – a group of closely related genera, the name ending in -aceae
fan – a bracket-shaped sporing body with gills on the underside of the cap
fertile surface – surface bearing spores such as the surface covering gills or spines
fetid – foul-smelling
fibrillose – covered with fine, silky fibres which are usually appressed, i.e. pressed flat to the surface
forked – usually refers to gills, divided or pronged like a fork
free – refers to gills/pores/wrinkles/teeth, not attached to stem
fruit-body or sporing body – the visible, reproductive structure of any fungus
fungus (pl. funga) – a member of the Kingdom Funga; organisms which typically are composed of hyphae, reproduce by spores and possess nuclei, and which lack roots, leaves and chlorophyll (to carry out photosynthesis)
gelatinous – jelly-like
genus (pl. genera) – a group of closely related species
gill (lamina) – blade-like or leaf-like plate on which spores are produced, beneath the cap of an agaric
genus –taxonomic term meaning a group of similar species. Genera that are closely related are placed into families
gill– spore-bearing structure of mushrooms
gleba – see spore mass
globe–the spore mass inside a puffball
gluten – clear, jelly-like, sticky liquid exuded by some fungi
gregarious – with many fruit-bodies growing close to one another
habit – manner of growth of fruit-body, whether single, gregarious or clustered (caespitose)
habitat – the vegetation, soil and any other distinctive components of the place where the fungus naturally occurs
head – refers to fungi without caps, the part of the fruit-body supported on a stem
hygrophanous – changing colour upon drying
hygroscopic – sensitive to moisture
hypha (pl. hyphae) – microscopic, tubular filamentous units of a fungus
hypha –a microscopic fibre making up the fungal body.
incurved – of cap margin, turned under towards stem
indusium – in some stinkhorns, net-like veil which hangs down like a skirt
ink cap– common name of the Coprinus genus– the caps turn to an inky mess when picked and before you can dry them!
inrolled – of cap margin, turned under towards stem
inturned – of cap margin, slightly incurved
lamella (pl. lamellae) – see gill
lateral – of stems, attached at side of cap
lobed – with rounded projections
look-alikes – species that look superficially similar to the species being described
luminescent – glowing in the dark
margin– typically of cap or fills, outer edge
membranous – typically of ring, like a membrane or skin
mesoperidium – typically of stalked puffballs, the middle layer of a three-layered peridium
milk– a liquid exuded from certain species such as Lactarius deliciosus
mouth – opening through which spores are discharged
mushroom – fungus with gills on the underside of the cap, usually with a stem; generally refers to an agaric
mycelial disc – disc-like structure found at base of stem, consisting of a compact mass of mycelium
mycelium– vegetative part of the fungus which grows in the host or soil and produces the fruit body; the mycelium is like a mass of often microscopic fibres
mycorrhiza– the association between the mycelium of a fungus and the rootlets of plants. Little is known of the associations between fungi and plants in Australia; hence, the important questions on habitat and nearest tree/plant in the mapping scheme
odour– smell of the sporing-body
partial veil– covering of the gills while very young that breaks open, often leaving remnants on the stem (stipe)
Polypores common name of tough-textured funga with pores
pileus– cap
species– group of individuals with certain common characteristics
spore– microscopic part of the fungus, which can germinate to reproduce the fungus
spore print– spore material left on paper when the cap is left for a period of time — the colour can be an important identifying characteristic
stipe– stalk or stem of the fruiting body of the fungus
universal veil– material, which completely covers the young immature mushroom
volva – the remnant of the universal veil which is sometimes left at the base of the stipe
