BIOL 1002 Chapter : Diversity Of Fungi Chapter 22 Notes 1
Document Summary
The kingdom fungi consists of organisms that are eukaryotic and mainly multicellular. They are all heterotrophic decomposers that obtain their food by absorption. They secrete enzymes and digest complex molecules outside their bodies before absorbing smaller molecules (different from animals and plants. ) Most members of the kingdom fungi have the following characteristics: mycelium- mass of hyphae (underground, hyphae (singular hypha)- one-cell-thick threadlike filaments, septa (singular septum)-hyphae divided by septa in some species, chitin- strengthens cell walls, spores-fungi develop from spores. Mycelium - is the feeding network of a fungus. This network may be very large but is usually underground or within the surface of a decaying organism. The mycelium is composed of a woven mesh of hyphae. Hyphae - the threadlike filaments of a fungus. These filaments are the building structure of the mycelium. They consist of a tubular cell wall containing chitin surrounding a plasma membrane and cytoplasm.
