THE 22 MOST COMMON TYPES OF MUSHROOMS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY - 2024

The types of fungi are classified into mushrooms, molds and yeasts taking into account the specific function they fulfill. Some of the most popular mushrooms are the Turkey Tail, Portobelo, Chanterel, Pink Coral, Mycena, Balloon Mushroom or the Bridal Veil.

All fungi belong to the Fungi kingdom and can develop on any surface, their reproduction is carried out by means of spores that are released and survive in the wind or water.

Mushrooms serve human beings for the production of food, the manufacture of medicines, the extraction of psychotropic substances and poisons, among other uses. It is believed that there are almost 80,000 species of mushrooms of which 10% are toxic.

Main types of fungi and facts

The yeast break down the material by means of a fermentation process transforming sugars and carbohydrates in other substances. They are used, for example, to make bread.

The molds are mainly in humid places and in low light and generally affect health or destroy an area.

Finally there is the type of fungus of the fungi, which also grows in moisture, especially trees and may be edible or poisonous.

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

His hat is made up of various layers with colors ranging from red to black, through brown, green and gray. This type of mushroom has great medicinal value.

Lion's mane, beard or pom-pom fungus (Hericium erinaceus)

This type of fungus is native to North America and grows on very hardwood trees; it is edible and has been widely used in Chinese gastronomy.

Portobelo (Agaricus brunnescens)

The portobello mushroom is a widely used mushroom in the world because it is a food with great nutritional properties and that only provides 26 kcal for every 100 grams consumed.

Polyporus tuberaster

His hat can measure between 5 and 10 centimeters in diameter with a slightly depressed appearance and a very defined stem. It has a color between cream-ocher and brown tones and is covered with scales of a darker color.

Pink coral (Ramaria botrytis

It is characterized by having dense branches that emerge from a thick base and expand at the tips, giving rise to smaller ones.

Initially, these branches are white, but with time they turn brown or tan, with pinkish tips.

Red mushroom (Amanista muscaria)

His hat has white spots on a red background. This type of mushroom produces a psychotropic substance appreciated by many shamans; used uncontrollably can cause death.

Chanterel

It is a type of domestic and edible mushroom. It has a long, thin and fragile stem and grows in grasslands, dead moss, dry grasses, dead wood, and also in droppings.

Mycena

It is characterized by the white of its spores. It is shaped like a cone and the brim of her hat is like a bell. It is gray or brown in color, but some species have brighter colors.

Aggregate lyophil (Lyophyllum aggreatum)

It is brown to gray in color with some streaks, and its hat is two to four inches in diameter. At the beginning, her hat is quite wide, but over time it becomes smooth.

Morels (Morchella)

It is shaped like a wasp's nest and its white trunk gives off a spherical hat with a diameter between six and ten centimeters. It is possible to find it only in Andean Patagonia.

Octopus (Clathrus archeri)

This type of mushroom is shaped like an octopus with four to seven arms, red in color and found in Australia and the island of Tazmania. As an adult, it emits a strong foul odor.

Bleeding tooth (Hydenellum peckii)

It is found in North America, eastern Europe, Iran, and Korea. It produces a red substance that has blood-thinning properties. Its taste is bitter, but it is not poisonous.

Balloon mushroom

There is a wide variety of balloon-shaped mushrooms. They are characterized because they contain the spores inside and to release them and achieve reproduction they open or create a hole.

Indigo Lactareus

It is purple in color and with time and its exposure to light it turns green. It can be found in coniferous forests or on dead leaves or wood. When it is opened it expels a liquid that looks like latex, which is consumable.

Clatus rubero or red cage

It is a type of inedible fungus and is mainly found in gardens, crops and damp places. It is characterized by producing an exquisite smell.

Amethyst (Lacaria amethystina)

It is very common and appears on all continents. When it is young it presents an intense violet color that is lost with time.

Although its appearance is very striking, it should not be eaten because it absorbs a large amount of arsenic from the soil.

Bridal Veil (Phalius indusiatos)

It is a type of mushroom native to South Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. In his hat he has a kind of clay that contains the spores and from there a woven veil that can be white or yellow comes off.

Midenas Loropos

It is the fungus of the night because it emits an intense vivid green color in the dark. It can be found in Asia, Australia, and Brazil.

Mutinus canillus

It is found in Europe, Asia and North America and is characterized by having a long orange stem and a small hat covered with a gelatinous liquid that attracts insects, thus helping to release their spores.

Entoloma hechstetteri

It is small and blue in color and is found in New Zealand and India.

The devil's cigarette (Chorioactis geaster)

It can only be found in Texas and very specific places in Japan and it inhabits dead oak trees. Its shape is a kind of concave star, usually dark orange in color.

False murgo (Gyromitra esculenta)

He is known because his hat is shaped like a brain. If eaten raw it can be deadly, but cooked turns out to be an exotic food. It is found in Central Europe and the United States.

References

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