Sporocarp (fungi)
In fungi, the
sporocarp is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruiting body is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cycle, with the rest of the life cycle being characterized by vegetative mycelial growth and asexual spore production. The sporocarp of a basidiomycete is known as a
basidiocarp or
basidiome, while the fruiting body of an ascomycete is known as an
ascocarp. A significant range of different shapes and morphologies are found in both basidiocarps and ascocarps; these features play an important role in the identification and taxonomy of fungi. Ascocarp of
Sarcoscypha austriaca Fruiting bodies are termed
epigeous if they grow on the ground, as with ordinary mushrooms, while others which grow underground are
hypogeous. Epigeous sporocarps that are visible to the naked eye, especially fruiting bodies of a more or less agaricoid morphology, are often referred to as mushrooms, while hypogeous fungi are usually called truffles or false truffles.