FWIW, here are some photos taken of a "mother" that came with two gallons of non-commercial ACV purchased last spring. In MH's words "think of her as an older mother.... a grand mother, of sorts...." A "mother" is the live fungus involved with the fermentation process that leads to what is eventually called by some "live vinegar".
I took those photos several weeks ago on the day that I decided to remove the mother from the current batch of vinegar "brewing" in a large jug in the basement. That old mother is still sitting in some tupperware in the frig....still not sure what to do with her. Guess what? Yesterday while in the basement, I looked inside the jug and saw a hole new mother has since spawned.