The mycelium is a tangled mass of long strings of cell-like units joined together. The cells in fungal hyphae are similar to, but not quite like the cells that make up our bodies. The hyphae cells contain nuclei, like ours. But unlike our cells, the hyphae cells usually are not completely walled off from each other. Close-up of spores of shiitake mushroom Most of the visible part of Armillaria is its golden mushrooms.
Mushrooms are big masses of hyphae.
They are reproductive structures. They contain spores, which are like seeds. When released, they germinate and produce hyphae. For more information on how fungi reproduce, how they grow and different fungal species, visit The Fungal Web .