Kingdom Fungi

Basic Characteristics• Eukaryotic

• Most Multi-cellular (except yeast)

• Digestion is extra-cellular (outside body of fungus)

• Heterotrophs

• Most Detritivores /Some parasitic (ringworm)

Fungal reproduction

• Asexual

• fragmentation

• budding

• Sexual

• produce spores

Parts of a Fungi• Hyphae: single thread-

like strands of fungi, often underground

• Mycelium: branched network of hyphae

• Sporangium: asexual structure where spores are produced

• Spore: reproductive body

5 Types of Fungi• Deuteromycota: penicillin

• Mycorrhizae: mutualistic with plant roots

• Ascomycota: sac fungi (Morrel/yeast)

• Basidiomycota: Club Fungi (mushroom)

• Zygomycota: mold (fruit and bread)

Deuteromycota• “Imperfect” Fungi -

not easily classified

• Reproduce asexually

• Fungi that produces antibiotic penicillin

• Fungi that cause yeast infections and athlete’s foot

Mycorrhizae• Symbiotic with plant roots

• 80-90% plants have fungal relationships

• both plant and fungi benefit

• Increases surface area of plant roots

• more H20 uptake

• more mineral uptake

• What is fungal benefit?

• fungus gets sugar from roots!

Mycorrhizae

• Old growth forests are home to many of these special relationships

Mycorrhizae

• This picture shows the thin “spider web like” threads of the mycorrhizae

Mycorrhizae• Examples include: “Indian

Pipe” and “Candystick” which are both found in our area

Ascomycota• More than 75% of fungi in this group

• Includes truffles and yeast

Ascomycota• Mushrooms are rare in this group -

but it does include Morels, cup fungi, and “Dead man’s fingers”

Ascomycota• Ascomycota also includes

Lichens:

• symbiotic relationship between an algae and a fungus

More Lichens!Lettuce Lichen

“British Soldiers” and Reindeer

Lichen

Zygomycota• Mold! (the kind that grows

on fruit and bread....)

Basidiomycota• MUSHROOMS!

• temporary fruiting body=reproductive body of fungus

• Hyphae and Mycelium is underground

• Parts common in this group:

• Cap (Basidia) = used for production and storage of spores

• Gills = for releasing spores

• Stype = stalk of mushroom

BasidiomycotaSome examples include:

“Puff Balls”

“Earth Stars”

Basidiomycota

“Bracket Fungi”

Basidiomycota

“Boletes”

Basidiomycota

Mushrooms often grow in “Fairy Rings”

Basidiomycota• Some Mushrooms are Edible

like the Chantrelle

Button Mushroom

Oyster

Shittake

Basidiomycota• MOST mushrooms are

Poisonous!!!!

CAUTION!!!• NEVER EAT WILD MUSHROOMS! Many

edible mushrooms look identical to poisonous ones and require a microscope to look at spore prints to tell the difference!

Mushroom Mania!