Characteristics of Fungi -
- Fungi are eukaryotic and multicellular organisms. Only yeast is unicellular
- Fungi can grow in all kinds of habitats, water, soil, air, in the body of plants and animals etc. Some may grow on bread as mould (Rhizopus), some can be a cause of rot in oranges (Alternaria), wheat rust (Puccinia), white rust or spots of mustard (Albugo). Some can be economically important as yeast is used to produce bread, wine etc.
- Fungi lack plastids and photosynthetic pigments.
- These are non -photosynthetic and heterotrophic in nutrition. Fungi can be saprotrophic, parasitic or symbionts.
- The cell wall is composed of chitin and polysaccharides,exception being the lower fungi (member of oomycetes) where cell wall is composed of cellulose and glucan.
- Food is stored in the form of glycogen and oil.
E.J. Butler was mycologist.
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