Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

The bright red fly

agaric toadstool is

poisonous. Small

amounts can cause

unconsciousness.

363

MOLD

The decaying parts of plants

and animals are rotted away

by pinmold, which grows on

damp bread, and is the blue

mold growing on this peach.

Oy sTer

MushrOOM

The oyster mushroom

is common on beech

trees; its cap looks like the shell

of an oyster. Oyster mushrooms

are tasty and keep well when they

are dried.

ChanTereLLe

The funnel-shaped

cap of the chanterelle

mushroom is yellow and

smells like an apricot. It is

found in oak, beech, and birch woods.

It grows slowly, preserves well, and is

highly prized by chefs.

Ring where

rim of cap

was

attached

to stalk

eDIbLe fungI

Many mushrooms and other

fungi are edible; some are not

only delicious but also are a

good source of minerals and

fiber. Cultivated mushrooms

are farmed in dark, damp

sheds on beds of peat.

Collecting wild fungi to eat

can be very dangerous. some

deadly poisonous fungi look

just like edible mushrooms.

fIeLD MushrOOM

During the fall,

field mushrooms

spring up overnight

in damp pastures

and meadows.

Gills inside

cap

Stalk

Spores are released

from between the gills

of mature caps.

Young

cap

Cap

gIanT

puffbaLL

When the giant

puffball ripens, its top breaks

open, and clouds of tiny spores puff

out with the slightest breeze or the

smallest splattering of rain.

Death cup

MOreL

prized for its flavor, the

morel’s cap is crisscrossed

with patterned ridgework.

DuTCh eLM DIsease

Dead and dying elm trees are

a familiar sight in europe and

north america. a deadly

fungus carried on the bodies

of elm bark beetles, which live

on elm trees, has killed

millions of trees. The fungus

grows through the bark,

blocking the water-carrying

tubes inside the trunk.

MushrooMs,

and other fungi Mushrooms, toadstools,

brI ghTLy COLOreD TOaDsTOOLs, delicate

mushrooms, and the furry green mold on a rotting piece

of bread all belong to a unique group of organisms called

fungi. fungi are neither plants nor animals. They are the

great decomposers of the natural world. fungi feed by

releasing chemicals called enzymes that rot away whatever

they are feeding on. The dissolved nutrients and minerals

are absorbed and recycled by the fungi. Many kinds of

fungi grow in damp woodlands and lush, grassy meadows,

especially during the fall. There is no scientific difference

between mushrooms and toadstools, but toadstools are

often more colorful, and some are extremely poisonous.

The part of a mushroom that we eat is called the cap. It contains spores—

minute cells that grow into new mushrooms when they are released from

the cap. some harmful fungi cause diseases on plants and ringworm in

humans. yeast is a fungus used to make bread dough rise. another fungus

is used to make the antibiotic drug penicillin.

Poisonous fungi

people die every year from eating

poisonous fungi. some of these

are brightly colored toadstools

that are easily recognized.

Others, such as the destroying

angel, look harmless, but cause

death rapidly if they are eaten.

beefsTeak

fungus

This fungus grows on trees.

It is called the beefsteak bracket

because it looks like a piece

of undercooked steak.

Fly

agaric

The harmless-looking

death cup is one of

the most poisonous

fungi. Less than

1 oz (28 g) can kill

a person in only

a few hours.

Find out more

Drugs

food

forest wildlife

plants

soil

Champignon mushrooms

grow in a ring in meadows

and in gardens. Many

people used to believe these

were magic fairy rings.

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