Are sclerotia mushrooms?
Sclerotia are not technically mushrooms, but they are related to them. Sclerotia are compact masses of hardened mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus) that contain food reserves, allowing the fungus to survive adverse conditions. They are often found in the soil or on decaying plant material and can be formed by a variety of fungi, including some mushroom-forming species. Some species of sclerotia-forming fungi are used in the production of edible and medicinal mushrooms, such as the genus Pleurotus (oyster mushrooms) and Cordyceps.