mycology Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, genetics, biochemistry, biochemical properties, and ethnomycology, use by humans. Fungi can be a source of tinder, Edible ...

(the branch of

biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

that includes the study of

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the n ...

s and other

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

), the pileus is the cap or cap-like part of a

basidiocarp In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do no ...

or ascocarp (

fungal A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one of the tradit ...

fruiting body) that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium.Moore-Landecker, E: "Fundamentals of the Fungi", page 560. Prentice Hall, 1972. The hymenium (

hymenophore A hymenophore refers to the hymenium-bearing structure of a fungal fruiting body. Hymenophores can be smooth surfaces, lamellae, folds, tubes, or teeth. The term was coined by Robert Hooke Robert Hooke (; 18 July 16353 March 1703) was an ...

) may consist of

lamellae Lamella (: lamellae) means a small plate or flake in Latin, and in English may refer to: Biology * Lamella (mycology), a papery rib beneath a mushroom cap * Lamella (botany) * Lamella (surface anatomy), a plate-like structure in an animal * Lame ...

, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus. A pileus is characteristic of agarics, boletes, some polypores, tooth fungi, and some

ascomycetes Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The de ...

. The word ''pileus'' comes from the Latin for a type of felt cap.

Classification

Pilei can be formed in various shapes, and the shapes can change over the course of the developmental cycle of a fungus. The most familiar pileus shape is hemispherical or ''convex.'' Convex pilei often continue to expand as they mature until they become flat. Many well-known species have a convex pileus, including the button mushroom, various ''

Amanita The genus ''Amanita'' contains about 600 species of agarics, including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide, as well as some well-regarded Edible mushroom, edible species (and many species of unknown edibility). The genus is re ...

'' species and

bolete A bolete is a type of mushroom, or fungal fruiting body. It can be identified thanks to a unique cap. On the underside of the cap there is usually a spongy surface with pores, instead of the gills typical of mushrooms. A similar pore surface i ...

s. Some, such as the parasol mushroom, have distinct bosses or umbos and are described as '' umbonate''. An umbo is a knobby protrusion at the center of the cap. Some fungi, such as chanterelles have a funnel- or

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

-shaped appearance. In these cases the pileus is termed ''infundibuliform''.

Image:Campanulate cap icon.svg, Campanulate (bell-shaped) Image:Conical cap icon.svg, Conical Image:Convex cap icon.svg, Convex Image:Depressed cap icon.svg, Depressed Image:Flat cap icon.svg, Flat Image:Infundibuliform cap icon.svg, Infundibuliform Image:Offset cap icon.svg, Offset Image:Ovate cap icon.svg, Ovate Image:Umbillicate cap icon.svg, Umbilicate Image:Umbonate cap icon.svg, Umbonate

Notes

References

*Arora, D: "Mushrooms Demystified", Ten Speed Press, 1986. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pileus (Mycology) Fungal morphology and anatomy Mycology ja:キノコの部位#傘

Classification

See also

Notes

References