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Termitomyces

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Termitomyces

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Termitomyces is a genus of basidiomycete fungi known as termite mushrooms in Lyophyllaceae family farmed by fungus-growing termites. The fungi and the termites interdepend to live, as the termites house and culture the fungi, and the fungi in turn provide foods for the termites. Often after a raining, the fungi grow mushrooms, which are edible and highly regarded for their flavor.

Species

GENUS

  1. KingdomFungi
  2. PhylumBasidiomycota
  3. ClassAgaricomycetes
  4. OrderAgaricales
  5. FamilyLyophyllaceae
Observations1,212
Observations recorded4,237

via GBIF

Wikidata facts

Image
Termitomyces reticulatus 37340.jpg
Show 4 more facts
taxon name
Termitomyces
Commons category
Termitomyces
taxon author citation
R.Heim
taxon common name
termiteshrooms
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~7 min read

Article

14 sections
Contents
  • Morphology
  • Life as a ''Termitomyces'' fungus
  • Comb-associated saprotrophy
  • Opportunist antagonist ''Pseudoxylaria''
  • Reproduction
  • Research history
  • Culinary use
  • Lookalikes
  • Species
  • Reidentified as external
  • Notes
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Termitomyces is a genus of basidiomycete fungi known as termite mushrooms in Lyophyllaceae family farmed by fungus-growing termites. The fungi and the termites interdepend to live, as the termites house and culture the fungi, and the fungi in turn provide foods for the termites. Often after a raining, the fungi grow mushrooms, which are edible and highly regarded for their flavor.

== Morphology == Termitomyces includes the largest edible mushroom in the world, Termitomyces titanicus of West Africa and Zambia, whose cap reaches 1 metre (3.28 ft) in diameter. It also includes Termitomyces microcarpus that grows caps of a few centimeters in diameter.

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