Home > Organisms > Fungi Terms and Definitions
Fungi
| Definition: |
A kingdom of eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms that live as saprobes or parasites, including mushrooms, yeasts, smuts, molds, etc. They reproduce either sexually or asexually, and have life cycles that range from simple to complex. Filamentous fungi refer to those that grow as multicelluar colonies (mushrooms and molds). |
| Notes: |
GEN or unspecified; prefer specifics: Manual 22.32; /drug eff: consider also ANTIFUNGAL AGENTS & FUNGICIDES, INDUSTRIAL; fungal dis = MYCOSES, fungal dis of skin = DERMATOMYCOSES |
| Also Called: |
Fungi, Filamentous |
Fungi Categories.
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Ascomycota - A phylum of fungi which have cross-walls or septa in the mycelium. The perfect state is characterized by the formation of a saclike cell (ascus) containing ascospores. Most pathogenic fungi with a known perfect state belong to this phylum. |
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Basidiomycota - A phylum of fungi that produce their sexual spores (basidiospores) on the outside of the basidium. It includes forms commonly known as mushrooms, boletes, puffballs, earthstars, stinkhorns, bird's-nest fungi, jelly fungi, bracket or shelf fungi, and rust and smut fungi. |
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Chytridiomycota - A phylum of fungi that was formerly considered a subdivision of Phycomycetes. They are the only fungi that produce motile cells at some stage in their life cycle. Most are saprobes but they also contain examples of plant, animal and fungal pathogens. |
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Fungal Components - The anatomical components of a fungus. |
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Fungi, Unclassified - Fungi whose taxonomic relationships have not been authoritatively established. |
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Mitosporic Fungi - A large and heterogenous group of fungi whose common characteristic is the absence of a sexual state. Many of the pathogenic fungi in humans belong to this group. |
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Mycorrhizae - Symbiotic combination (dual organism) of the MYCELIUM of FUNGI with the roots of plants (PLANT ROOTS). The roots of almost all higher plants exhibit this mutually beneficial relationship, whereby the fungus supplies water and mineral salts to the plant, and the plant supplies CARBOHYDRATES to the fungus. There are two major types of mycorrhizae: ectomycorrhizae and endomycorrhizae. |
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Yeasts - A general term for single-celled rounded fungi that reproduce by budding. Brewers' and bakers' yeasts are SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE; therapeutic dried yeast is YEAST, DRIED. |
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Zygomycota - A phylum of fungi, formerly included in the Phycomycetes, usually saprophytic or parasitic, especially for insects. |
Fungi Definitions and Terms
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