Mushroom
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A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. A toadstool generally refers to a poisonous mushroom.
Pholiota squarrosa growing at the base of a tree
Amanita muscaria, the most easily recognised "toadstool", is frequently depicted in fairy stories and on greeting cards. It is often associated with gnomes.
A mushroom (probably Russula brevipes) parasitized by Hypomyces lactifluorum resulting in a "lobster mushroom"
Amanita jacksonii buttons emerging from their universal veils
Hymenium
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The hymenium is the fertile, spore-bearing tissue layer of many fungal fruiting bodies. It occurs in both Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, where it is made up chiefly of asci or basidia and often also co
Light microscopy of Peziza showing the hymenial layer with the ascus on the ascocarp mycelium and the ascospores can be seen within the ascus. A=Ascocarp mycelium, B=Hymenial layer, C=Ascus, D=Ascospore. Scale bar = 0.1 mm
Light micrograph of a cross section of the basidiocarp of a Boletus, showing the hymenium lining the pores