Glossary

Basidia- is a microscopic, spore producing structure found on the hymnophore of fruiting bodies of bacsidiomycete fungi.

Hymenium- is the tissue layer on the hymnophore of a fungal fruiting body (mushroom) where the cells develop into basidia, which produce spores.

Hymnophore- refers to the hymenium-bearing structure of a fungal fruiting body. Hymenophores can be smooth surfaces, lamellae, folds, tubes, or teeth.

Hypha (plural hyphae)- is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus.

Inoculate- to introduce a micro organism into.
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Lamella (or gills)- is a papery hymnophore rib under the cap of some mushroom species, most often but not always agarics.The gills are used by the mushrooms as a means of spore dispersal, and are important for species identification.

Mycelium- the vegetative part of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching hyphae.

Primordia- a baby mushroom as it first begins to emerge from the mycelium.

Spawn- Mushroom mycelium that is broken up and used to inoculate a substrate

Substrate- The natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which it grows or is attached. i.e hardwood chips and sawdust for growing shiitakes and other hardwood loving mushrooms. Other examples are: dung, compost, cereal straw, grain seeds, corn cobs, card board, logs, stumps, etc.



*This glossary will be updated as new terms come up in posts.
**It should be noted that many, but not all, of these definitions were derived from wikipedia.