Fungus Glossary

This online glossary is ...UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Terms which were deemed necessary to concisely provide clear descriptions have been used and are defined in this glossary for our users. Some of the terms listed here are not used in the vPlants written description pages. Words that users are unfamiliar with that are not listed in this glossary are readily defined in a dictionary, such as the online version of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Many definitions given below relate to the usage of these terms with fungi. Some of these terms have a somewhat different meaning in relation to other things, such as plants.

A
A-: — Without; not.
Abaxial: — Said of a surface facing away from the axis of the structure to which it is attached.
Acicular: — Needle-like.
Acuminate: — Tapering to a slender tip.
Acute: — Sharp-pointed.
Adaxial: — Said of a surface facing toward the axis of the structure to which it is attached.
Adnate: — Gill attachment where the gill attaches squarely to the stem.
Anastomose: — To interconnect, such as the veins between gills.
Anastomosing: — Connecting and intersecting, forming a network.
Annual: — A fungus fruitbody, such as a bracket, that grows in only one season. A new and separate fruitbody is produced the following year.
Annulus: — Tissue forming a ring or arranged in a circle around the stem; left by the partial veil.
Apex: — The tip; end.
Apical: — Pertaining to the apex.
Apiculate: — Abruptly short-pointed.
Apiculus: — Abruptly short-beaked or pointed.
Appressed: — Lying flat against a surface.
Aromatic: — Having a fragrant smell, sometimes only if broken or crushed.
Asymmetrical: — Unequally developed on either side of a common axis. Opposite of symmetrical.
Attenuate: — Gradually tapered to a slender tip.
Axis: — The central part of a longitudinal support (usually of a stem) on which parts are arranged.
B
Basal: — Pertaining to the base of a structure, such as the stem.
Basifixed: — Attached by the base.
Beak: — A slender terminal process, usually abruptly differentiated from the general outline of the organ from which it originates.
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
Mesic: — A microclimatic term which refers to an area in which the soils are usually well drained, but contain a lot of moisture for all or much of the year; such areas typically occur on north or east-facing exposures. Compare to xeric.
N
O
P
Perennial: — A fungus fruitbody, such as a bracket, that grows for more than one season. A new pore layer is added to the underside of the bracket in each following year.
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Xeric: — A microclimatic term which refers to an area in which the soils are dry, containing very little, if any, moisture. Compare to mesic.
Y
Z