Fungi - Facts and Fiction, Myths and Mysteries

The kingdom of fungi is one of the most obvious but least understood of the many (at least six, and some scientists suggest almost twice that number) kingdoms of Life on Earth. The reasons are largely cultural: for centuries fungi were treated as the work of evil spirits, elves or witches; they we classed as 'excrescences of the earth - effectively mineral rather than animal or vegetable (the only two kingdoms of life accepted as such until recent times.

Nowadays we know that fungi and neither animals nor vegetables, but they pre-date both in evolutionary terms; and when you begin taking an interest in fungi you soon discover just how fascinating they are.

What exactly is a mushroom or a toadstool. Is there a clear distinction between the two? Find out here...

Why do orchids need fungi, and what role do fungi play in the lifecycle of an orchid plant?...

See how a mushroom bursts through the forest floor and what happens afterwards...

What are mycorrhizae, and how do trees and fungi nurture one another? Find out here...

There are many 'false truths' about fungi, and a few of them are explained in our mushroom mythology page...

Use the Fungi Facts Topic Selector in the sidebar to find a lot more facts about the kingdom of fungi.