Читать книгу First Field Guide to Mushrooms of Southern Africa - Margo Branch - Страница 8

SymbioticG fungi are fascinating because they form mutually beneficial relationships with their living hosts, which can be as diverse as termites, trees and algae.

Lichen is a symbiotic partnership between an alga and a fungus. The alga is able to photo-synthesise and produce organic material, while the fungus absorbs water and mineral salts from the surrounding air or substrateG. This symbiotic relationship enables lichen to colonise extremely harsh places where little else can grow.

Lichens are symbiotic partnerships between algae and fungi.

Termites and mushrooms: Some mushrooms, such as I’kowe, a member of the Termitomyces species, (see page 26) are cultivated by termites in special fungal gardens. The termite mound is a marvellous growth chamber, with controlled temperature, humidity and ventilation. The partly digested plant material in termite faeces is a source of nutrition for the fungal garden, while the termites feed on fungal hyphaeG. The False Ink Cap grows on moist termite mounds in dry regions (see page 52).

Termitomyces microcarpus mushrooms growing in soil that termites have removed from their nest.