Myceliales

Myceliales is a fictional order of fungi created for speculative biology and science fiction narratives. It serves as a conceptual group to explore fungal networks and complex ecological interactions without asserting real-world taxonomy.

In sources that feature Myceliales, the group is presented as a fungal lineage with variable placement within Dikarya; some authors treat it as an independent order, while others embed it within broader fungal clades. There is no consensus in real-world taxonomy, since Myceliales exists primarily in fictional or educational contexts.

Characters describe Myceliales as forming extensive, threadlike hyphae that weave through soil and organic matter to form a global or networked mycelium. Fruiting bodies are often described as understated or rare, with spores disseminated by wind or vectors. The life cycle is typically simplified to emphasize growth, colonization, and sporulation under certain ecological conditions.

Ecologically, Myceliales are depicted as decomposers and as partners in symbiotic associations with plants and other organisms, capable of resource sharing and signaling across the network. These features are used to illustrate emergent properties and the potential for cooperation within large biological systems.

In fiction, Myceliales appear in diverse environments, from temperate forests to subterranean settings and alien ecosystems. The concept is often employed to discuss how interconnected organisms influence nutrient cycles, resilience, and adaptation in complex habitats.

Because of their networked biology, Myceliales are commonly used to illustrate concepts such as emergent properties, cooperation, and the complexity of fungal life in textbooks, simulations, and media discussions.