Mycology is the branch of
biology concerned with the study of
fungi, including their
genetic and
biochemical properties, their
taxonomy and
their use to humans as a source for
tinder,
medicine,
wine,
cheese,
food, and
entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as
poisoning or
infection. A biologist specializing in mycology is called a
mycologist. From mycology arose the field of
phytopathology, the study of plant diseases, and the two disciplines remain closely related because the vast majority of "plant" pathogens are fungi.
