Key takeaways
- Hyphae are microscopic, branching fungal threads.
- Together they form mycelium, the main body of a fungus.
- Mycelium feeds, decomposes, partners with plants and produces mushrooms.
- Mycelium used in supplements is often grown on grain.
Most of a fungus is invisible: a network of microscopic threads running through soil, wood or leaf litter. This article explains hyphae and mycelium, the hidden majority of the fungal world.
Hyphae
A hypha (plural: hyphae) is a tube-like thread just a few thousandths of a millimetre wide, surrounded by a chitin-rich cell wall. Hyphae grow from their tips, branching as they go, and release enzymes that break down their surroundings so nutrients can be absorbed.
Mycelium
A mass of branching hyphae is called mycelium. It can form a fine white web on rotting wood, a mat in leaf litter or an extensive network through soil. Some fungal individuals are among the largest organisms on Earth.
What mycelium does
- Feeds the fungus by digesting and absorbing nutrients.
- Decomposes dead material, recycling nutrients. See How Fungi Decompose Wood.
- Partners with plant roots in many species, forming mycorrhizas.
- Produces fruiting bodies when conditions are right. See The Mushroom Life Cycle.
Mycelium in mushroom products
Mycelium is also used to make supplements, often grown on grain. That grain can end up in the product. See Fruiting Body vs Mycelium and Mycelium on Grain Explained.
Mycelium beyond supplements
Mycelium is being explored for packaging, building materials and textiles, grown into shapes on agricultural waste.