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# Mycology Cheatsheet

## Basics

Mycology is the study of fungi.

## Fungal Anatomy

### Parts of a Fungus


	
**Mycelium**: vegetative part of the fungus that grows underground or within a substrate
	
**Fruiting body**: the reproductive structure of a fungus; includes mushrooms, puffballs, and brackets
	
**Hyphae**: long, branching filaments that make up the mycelium
	
**Spores**: reproductive cells of fungi; used for dispersal and can be produced sexually or asexually


### Types of Fungi


	
**Saprophytic**: feed on dead or decaying organic matter
	
**Parasitic**: feed on living organisms
	
**Mycorrhizal**: form symbiotic relationships with plant roots


## Fungal Classification

Fungi are classified based on their reproductive structures:


	
**Zygomycetes**: reproduce by forming zygospores; includes bread molds
	
**Ascomycetes**: reproduce by forming ascospores; includes yeasts, truffles, and morels
	
**Basidiomycetes**: reproduce by forming basidiospores; includes mushrooms, puffballs, and brackets


## Mycological Techniques

### Culturing Fungi

Fungi can be grown in a lab using a variety of media, such as:


	
**Agar plates**: sterile petri dishes containing a nutrient-rich agar medium
	
**Liquid cultures**: liquid nutrient media used for growing large quantities of fungal mycelium
	
**Spawn**: a small amount of colonized substrate used to inoculate larger batches of medium


### Microscopy

Mycologists use microscopes to examine fungal structures, including:


	
**Hyphae**: individual filaments of the mycelium
	
**Spores**: used for identification and classification of fungi
	
**Fruiting bodies**: used to identify mushrooms and other reproductive structures


### DNA Sequencing

DNA sequencing can be used to identify and classify fungi at the molecular level.

## Resources


	
[Mycological Society of America](https://msafungi.org/)
	
[International Mycological Association](https://mycology.net/)
	
[Mushroom Observer](https://mushroomobserver.org/)