Mycelium

fungus · underground · nature's network

Thread-like tubes. Mycelium is made of super tiny branching threads called hyphae that weave together like an intricate web underground. These threads are so small you usually need a microscope to see them.

Mushroom maker. When two compatible mycelium networks meet and merge, they can create fruiting bodies like the mushrooms you see above ground. The mushroom is just the fruiting part, like an apple on a tree, while the mycelium is the huge tree itself hidden below.

Massive spreader. Mycelium can grow to enormous sizes, sometimes covering thousands of acres. One of the largest living organisms on Earth is actually a giant Armillaria fungus mycelium in Oregon that spans over 2,000 acres.

Soil explorer. Mycelium lives in soil and on many other surfaces, breaking down dead plant material and recycling nutrients back into the earth. This makes fungi essential helpers in nature's cleanup crew.

Two becomes one. A single fungal spore starts as a tiny monokaryotic mycelium that cannot reproduce on its own. When it finds another compatible mycelium to join with, they form a dikaryotic mycelium that can finally make mushrooms.