Welcome to Word of the Week! Stay tuned for a new word each week to amp up your nature vocabulary!
The word of the week is polypore [PAA-LEE-POR] (mycological noun): a group of fungi so called because of the pores present on the underside of their fruiting body.
The pores of a polypore fungi are used to house their spores, which are microscopic particles that allow fungi to be reproduced, much like seeds are to a plant. The function of pores is to increase the surface area that spores can attach to. These pores look different on the underside of different polypores, but are generally circular and regularly spaced along the surface.
Polypores are also called bracket fungi due to their shelf-like appearance. They can often be seen on living trees or fallen logs. Some polypores have a short stalk to attach them to their substrate.
Interested in learning more about fungi? Check out our in-person fungi workshop with naturalist Kami Valkova. You can also sign up for Fantasic Fungal Friends our online naturalist course about fungi!
