Definitely among us. (Letters).Concerning "Underground Hijinks hi·jinks pl.n. Variant of high jinks. Noun 1. hijinks - noisy and mischievous merrymaking high jinks, high jinx, jinks jollification, merrymaking, conviviality - a boisterous celebration; a merry festivity : Thieving plants hack into biggest fungal network" (SN: 9/28/02, p. 197), these associations between fungi and parasitic plants also exist in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . These include plants in the wintergreen family, such as Indian pipe, pinesap, and sweet pinesap. A common fungus associated with these plants is an Ascomycete as·co·my·cete n. A member of the class Ascomycetes. that forms a subterranean structure commonly called a deer truffle truffle (trŭf`əl) [Fr.], subterranean edible fungus that forms a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship with the roots of certain trees and plants. The part of the fungus used as food is the ascoma, the fruiting body of the fungus. . There is also a small genus of orchids, called coralroots, that obtains the majority of its nutrition from a mycorrhizal association with soil fungi. JOSEPH M. STRONG, ELYRIA, OHIO |
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