nPostednon August 15, 2014
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nToday’snbirthday—born in 1794—became a mycologist.
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nSwedishnscientist Elias Fries learned all about flowering plants from hisnfather, and after going to university, he became a professor ofnbotany, which is the study of plants.
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nButnhis knowledge of plants isn’t what Fries is known for.
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Friesnbecame known for his classification system for mushrooms and othernfungi. He studied spore color and the structures of fungal fruitingnbodies, which could be smooth, folded, or covered with tubes orn“teeth.” n
Friesnbecame known for his classification system for mushrooms and othernfungi. He studied spore color and the structures of fungal fruitingnbodies, which could be smooth, folded, or covered with tubes orn“teeth.” nn
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nBacknwhen Fries was arranging his mushroom taxonomies, they werenclassified as a kind of plant. After all, mushrooms often grow out ofnsoil, generally stay put in one place, and have rigid cell walls.
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nButnnow mushrooms and other fungi have their own kingdom, alongside thenanimal and plant kingdoms (and other kingdoms).
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nA mycologist is anscientist who specializes in fungi.
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nWhatnmakes mushrooms fungi instead of plants?
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nPlantsnhave the ability to make food. Generally, plants use water andnminerals absorbed from the soil, through their roots, and carbonndioxide absorbed from the air, through tiny pores in their leaves,nand the energy of sunlight – and from these inorganic materialsnplus energy, they make sugars and starches!
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nThisnprocess is called photosynthesis (photo means “light,” andnsynthesis means “to make”).
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Mushrooms,nyeast, and molds are all incapable of making their own food. Instead,nthey break down organic matter; many fungi are an important part ofnthe decomposition of dead organisms.
Mushrooms,nyeast, and molds are all incapable of making their own food. Instead,nthey break down organic matter; many fungi are an important part ofnthe decomposition of dead organisms.n
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| Lichen-encrusted rocks |
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n(Bynthe way, Fries also studied and classified various lichens, which arenfungi that have algae cells that can make food out of sunlight. Innother words, lichens are pretty much part-fungi, part-plant.) n
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nLearnnabout mushrooms and how they reproduce.
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| Would it surprise you to learn that some fungi are called “shelf fungi”? |
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nAlsonon this date:
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Princely Celebrations in Liechetenstein
Princely Celebrations in Liechetenstein
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nRestoration of Light Day in South Korea
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nIndependence Day in the Republic of the Congo
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nChauvinnDay
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nAnniversarynof the opening of the Panama Canal
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nTownnfestivals in Andorra
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nAugustn holidays
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nAugustn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in August
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nSeptembern holidays
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nSeptembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in September
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