Characteristics of Fungus Eukaryotes. Have cell walls. Heterotrophs {must consume food for energy} They feed by absorbing their food. Use spores to reproduce.

Cell Structure of Fungus Fungi range in size from tiny yeast to large multicellular fungi. Yeast

Cell of all fungi are surrounded by cell walls. Hyphae make up most fungi. They are branching and threadlike fibers and make up the body of the fungus. Substances move quickly through hyphae.

Important Parts of Fungus Cap Gills Stalk Hyphae Underground hyphae Observe these parts carefully!

Let’s Take a Closer Look Observe your mushroom. The gills are located under the cap {top} of the mushroom. If your gills are not visible, you will need to remove the veil {thin layer of tissue} that is covering them. Draw the mushroom in detail and label the cap, gills, and stem.

Let’s Take a Closer Look Gently hold the cap in one hand and the stem in the other. Carefully twist the stem until it “pops” off the cap. Pinch the stem between your thumb and index finger until it breaks into two or more pieces. Look at the inside of one of the larger pieces. The thin hair-like pieces you see that make up the stem are called hyphae. Draw them.

Let’s Take a Closer Look Now look at the cap of your mushroom. Look at the underside of your cap where the gills are found. The spore containing structure is located on the edge of the gills. This is called the basidia. Using your tweezers, remove one gill from the cap. You want to remove it from where it is attached to the cap. Try not to tough the free edge of the gill, this will disrupt the basidia.

Let’s Take a Closer Look Make a wet mount slide of your specimen. Place your slide on the microscope and focus it at the highest objective possible. You want to be able to see the basidia. Draw what you see.

The way a fungus looks depends on how its hyphae are arranged.

Fairy rings are an example of just how strangely the hyphae of fungus can arrange itself!

Fungi absorb food through hyphae that grow into a food source. The hyphae ooze a digestive chemical that makes the food easy to suck up (mushy- yuck). Some feed on dead organisms.

Reproduction in Fungi Fungi usually reproduce by making spores. Light-weight spores are carried by air or water. Fungi produce spores in fruiting bodies. Fruiting bodies are different in different types of fungi.

Fruiting Bodies

Asexual Reproduction in Fungi Unicellular fungi (yeast) reproduce by budding. No spores are made. A small yeast grows from the body of a parent cell.

Classification of Fungi Club Fungi Zygote Fungi Sac Fungi

Club Fungi Produce spores in reproductive structures that look like clubs. Some like puffballs are the most poisionous.

Sac Fungi Produce spores that look like long sacs (but you can see that in these pictures). Yeasts, morels and yes…TRUFFELS.

Zygote Fungi Can survive harsh environmental conditions. Fruit and Bread Molds.

The Role of Fungi in Nature Environment al Recycling Food and Fungi Disease Fighting Fungi Disease Causing Fungi