This glossary explains biological, botanical, zoological and mycological terms, as well as terms used in cecidology. It is intended to make the numerous technical terms used in the photo gallery and on the information pages of this website easier to understand.
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Basidiocarps
Fruiting bodies of the basidiomycetes.
Basidiomycetes
Basidiomycota are a fungal phylum that produces its meiospores on spore-bearing structures (basidia). They comprise around 30,000 species, about 30% of all known fungal species. Phylogenetically, they are very likely the sister group of Ascomycota, also known as ascomycetes, and together they form the taxon Dikarya. Many mycorrhizal fungi belong to the basidiomycetes and form symbioses with plants. Most edible mushrooms also belong to this group.
Basidium
A spore-bearing structure, usually an elongated spore-producing cell of the basidiomycetes, on which spores are formed. A typical basidium produces four spores and is unicellular. Jelly fungi have forked, two-spored basidia. In some fungal groups, basidia may also be divided transversely or longitudinally; these are called phragmobasidia.
Basiphilous
An ecological term for fungal or plant species that occur exclusively or preferentially on basic (alkaline) substrates with a pH above 7.0. Basiphilous fungi are not necessarily calcicolous fungi. See also acidophilous.
Blister gall
A blister gall is a leaf gall caused by gall mites or aphids and related plant lice. It develops through elongation growth of all leaf tissue layers, producing a large cavity occupied by the inducer, for example the gall of the elm sack gall aphid (Tetraneura ulmi).
Brachypterous
Short-winged forms of various organisms, for example insects.
Brown rot
Wood affected by fungal decay becomes brown and characteristically cracked into cubical pieces, also called cubical brown rot. The fungus consumes only the carbohydrates (cellulose), while the brown-coloured lignin remains.
Brownian motion
Brownian motion is the thermal movement of particles in liquids rediscovered by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown. The particles perform completely irregular zigzag movements. Brown observed under the microscope how pollen grains in a drop of water moved in an irregular, twitching manner.
Bryophilous
Growing preferably or exclusively on or among mosses, for example moss cup fungi (Octospora).
Bulbils
Bulbils, also called brood bulblets, are small, seed-like propagules that form in the inflorescences of certain plants such as garlic and Egyptian onions. They serve for vegetative reproduction.
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