Page 176 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Mushrooms SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Animal groups
p.22

A mushroom is the fruit of a fungus. Fungi are neither ▸ ▸ Color pp.26—27
animals nor plants. They feed on living and dead animals ▸ ▸ Fruit and seeds
and plants. Many fungi are very poisonous—you should p.115

not touch or pick them. ▸ ▸ Life cycle p.146
▸ ▸ Plants p.194

Cap
Fly agaric This is the head of
the mushroom. It
protects the gills.

All parts of the
fly agaric mushroom
are poisonous. It
was used to kill flies
in medieval times.
Gills
Parts of a mushroom These delicate
Mushrooms scatter tiny, structures hold the
seed-like spores, so that mushroom’s spores.
fungi can spread. Many Fungi
are brightly colored. There are many different types
of fungus. Most of them grow in
Ring damp places, such as grassy
This protects the fields and shady woodlands.
gills. It breaks away
as the cap grows.

Stem
This supports the cap and
supplies the mushroom
with the water and food it
needs to stay alive.
Devil’s fingers Green elfcup Yellow jelly antler

Roots Spores
These underground
tubes collect water Spores are tiny cells from
and food. which new fungi grow. They
are released into the wind
when a fungus bursts open.
The spores are carried away
in the wind. When they
fall, they can grow into
new fungi.

Puffball

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