Fungal Glossary
This glossary is provided for general information only. It’s not meant to be a tool for self-diagnosis. For diagnosis consult a physician.
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Amerospore - Amerospore is a non-septate conidium
Ascospores - Ascospores are spores produced in structures called asci by a group of fungi referred to as Ascomycota or Ascomycetes.
Basidiospores - Basidiospores are spores produced by a group of fungi referred to as Basidiomycota or Basidiomycetes.
Colony - A group of hyphae (fungal colony) or cells (bacteria colonies) which arise from one spore (or hypha) or cell. It's possible to have mixed colonies of different organisms.
Colony Forming Unit (CFU) - A colony forming unit refers to a single or a group of cells from which a colony develops.
Conidiophore - A conidiophore is a simple or branched hypha on which conidia (spores) are formed.
Conidium (pl. conidia) - Conidium is a non-motile asexual spore formed at the tips of conidiophores or by fragmentation of hyphae.
Deuteromycetes - Deuteromycetes (Deuteromycotina) are fungi that only reproduce asexually (vegetatively). Some mycologist prefer calling this group, "mitosporic fungi" or "anamorphic fungi".
Hypha (pl. hyphae) - A hypha refers to a thin tube (filament) of a fungus many of which form the mycelium.
Mycelium (pl. mycelia) - Mycelium refers to a mass of hyphae that makes the body of a fungus.
Mycology - Mycology is the study of fungi (yeasts and molds).
Mycotoxins - Mycotoxins are toxic byproducts (seconday metabolites) produced by fungi.
Perfect state - As perfect state refers to the sexual state of a fungus.
Spore - A spore refers to a reproductive structure (similar to a seed in plants) in fungi, bacteria and cryptogams.
Xerophilic fungi - Xerophilic fungi refer to fungi that prefer growing under relatively dry conditions.
Zygospore - A zygospore is a sexual spore produced by Zygomycetes.
