Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals. They are part of the kingdom Fungi, which is distinct from both the Plantae (plants) and Animalia (animals) kingdoms. Humans have historically classified life into two categories: plants and animals. However, mushrooms are heterotrophs, meaning they cannot produce their food like plants do through photosynthesis. Instead, they rely on decomposing organic matter for nourishment, playing a crucial role in ecosystems by recycling nutrients. While mushrooms share some genetic similarities with humans, they are fundamentally different organisms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of organism | Fungi |
| Kingdom | Fungi |
| Ability to produce food | No |
| Dependence on other organic matter | Yes |
| Ability to photosynthesize | No |
| Ability to break down material externally | Yes |
| Ability to break down dead plants, animals, and other organic materials | Yes |
| Ability to recycle nutrients | Yes |
| Ability to support plant life | Yes |
| Genetic similarity with humans | Yes |
| Number of species | Approximately 14,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Fungi are not plants
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and while they may be mistaken for plants due to their appearance, they are not plants. Fungi form their own kingdom, distinct from both plant and animal life.
One of the most important differences between mushrooms and plants is their method of obtaining food. Plants are autotrophs, capable of producing their own food using sunlight through the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose (a form of sugar that plants use as energy) and oxygen. In contrast, mushrooms are heterotrophs, which means they cannot produce their own food. They lack chlorophyll, the green pigment that enables plants to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. Instead, mushrooms rely on decaying organic matter for sustenance. They play a vital role in ecosystems as decomposers, breaking down dead plants, animals, and other organic materials, and releasing essential nutrients back into the environment.
Mushrooms obtain nutrients through a unique process. They release digestive enzymes into their surroundings, breaking down complex organic materials into simpler substances. This process of external digestion is distinct from the internal digestion that occurs in plants and animals. The ability of mushrooms to break down organic matter contributes to their ecological importance and nutritional benefits for humans.
While fungi share some genetic similarities with humans, especially in their evolutionary history, they have distinct characteristics that set them apart from plants and animals. Approximately 1.1 billion years ago, the ancestors of fungi and animals diverged from plants, creating separate evolutionary pathways. This ancient lineage means that, genetically, humans are more closely related to fungi than to plants. Humans share about 50% of their DNA with fungi, highlighting their evolutionary connection. However, over time, fungi and animals have evolved into distinct organisms with unique characteristics, behaviors, and biology.
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Fungi are not animals
Mushrooms are a kind of fungus. Fungi are neither plants nor animals but are part of their own kingdom of life. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi, as well as parasites. They are responsible for the decomposition of organic matter and play a fundamental role in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment.
Fungi are different from plants in several ways. Firstly, they lack chloroplasts, which are a unifying feature of plants. Chlorophyll-containing plastids are an important milestone in understanding plant evolution. Secondly, fungi do not photosynthesize like plants. Instead, they secrete enzymes to dissolve nutrients and then absorb them. This is in contrast to animals, which ingest their food. Thirdly, fungi and plants differ in their biosynthetic pathways for producing terpenes. Plants have an additional pathway in their chloroplasts, which fungi do not possess.
Fungi are also distinct from animals in several ways. They do not ingest their food like animals; instead, they live inside their food and secrete enzymes to dissolve nutrients. Additionally, early taxonomists incorrectly assumed that fungi were immobile, whereas animals are mobile. However, it is now known that while the growth of fungi is their primary means of mobility, some spores can travel through air or water. Furthermore, fungi do not possess vertebrae, which are a defining characteristic of vertebrates, a group of animals with a spine.
While fungi share some similarities with both plants and animals, they exhibit unique characteristics that place them in their own kingdom of life. The study of fungi, or mycology, has much to teach us about evolution, ecology, and cellular biology. However, it has been largely ignored in biodiversity, climate change, and environmental legal frameworks, as well as by the general public.
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Mushrooms are a kind of fungus
Mushrooms are decomposers and break down dead organic matter like leaves and plants. They don't make food from sunlight like plants do. Instead, they develop from a nodule or pinhead, less than two millimetres in diameter, called a primordium, which is typically found on or near the surface of the substrate. The primordium enlarges into a roundish structure of interwoven hyphae that resembles an egg, called a "button". The button has a cottony roll of mycelium, the universal veil, that surrounds the developing fruit body. As the egg expands, the universal veil ruptures and may remain as a cup, or volva, at the base of the stalk, or as warts or volval patches on the cap.
Most mushrooms are basidiomycetes and gilled. Their spores, called basidiospores, are produced on the gills and fall in a fine rain of powder from under the caps. At the microscopic level, the basidiospores are shot off basidia and then fall between the gills in the dead air space. As a result, if the cap is cut off and placed gill-side-down overnight, a powdery impression reflecting the shape of the gills is formed. The colour of the powdery print, called a spore print, is useful in both classifying and identifying mushrooms.
While the agarics and boletes include most of the forms known as mushrooms, other groups of fungi are considered mushrooms by laymen. Among these are the hydnums or hedgehog mushrooms, which have teeth, spines, or warts on the undersurface of the cap. "Mushroom" has also been used for polypores, puffballs, jelly fungi, coral fungi, bracket fungi, stinkhorns, and cup fungi. Thus, the term "mushroom" is more one of common application to macroscopic fungal fruiting bodies than one having precise taxonomic meaning.
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Identifying mushrooms
Mushrooms are a type of fungus with around 14,000 species. They are not plants or animals. While modern identification methods are increasingly based on molecular analysis, most people still use standard methods that have been refined over the centuries. These include microscopic examination and observing factors such as the presence of juices, bruising reactions, odours, tastes, shades of colour, habitat, habit, and season.
Additionally, chemical reactions, microscopic characteristics, and other physical traits are important for identification. For example, the chanterelle mushroom has wrinkled folds called "false gills," a vase-shaped cap, and a fruity or flowery smell. The oyster mushroom, on the other hand, has small "teeth" or spines hanging from the underside of its cap and grows on dying maple trees.
While online resources and apps can assist in narrowing down the identification, they may not always be reliable. Using a local field guide or a highly-rated guidebook specific to your region is recommended for beginners. Remember, mushroom identification takes practice, and it is crucial to never eat any mushroom solely based on online identification.
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The history of the term mushroom
The term "mushroom" has a long and intriguing history that dates back centuries. While the exact origin of the word is uncertain, it is believed to have derived from various languages and roots. Here is a detailed exploration of the history of the term "mushroom."
During the Middle Ages, the term "mushroom" began to emerge in various forms. In the 14th century, the word "musseroun" was used, as evidenced by its appearance as a surname in 1327. This evolved into variations such as "mushrom," "muscheron," "mousheroms," "mussheron," and "musserouns" during the 15th and 16th centuries. These terms were used interchangeably, reflecting the lack of a precise definition for "mushroom" at the time.
The origin of the term is thought to be rooted in the French word "mousseron," which refers to moss ("mousse" in French). This connection suggests that the word "mushroom" was initially associated with moss-like growth. Additionally, the term "toadstool," which first appeared in 14th-century England, further highlights the ambiguity surrounding the identification of edible and poisonous fungi. "Toadstool" implied a poisonous nature, as toads were considered highly poisonous.
Over time, the term "mushroom" continued to evolve and was applied more broadly to various types of fungi. It was often used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of certain fungi, particularly those with a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) underneath the cap. These characteristics are typical of the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, which is considered the standard for the name "mushroom." However, the term is also commonly applied to other gilled fungi, both with and without stems.
The usage of the word "mushroom" extended beyond just the physical characteristics of certain fungi. It also found its way into figurative language, being used to describe something or someone who makes a sudden and rapid appearance, similar to the rapid growth of mushrooms. This figurative sense of the word dates back to the late 16th century.
In summary, the history of the term "mushroom" reveals a rich evolution of language and understanding of fungi. While the precise origin of the word is uncertain, it likely has roots in French and Latin, referring to moss-like growth. The term's usage expanded over time, reflecting the complex and diverse nature of fungi, and even found its way into figurative expressions. Today, the word "mushroom" continues to be a commonly used and recognized term in mycology and beyond.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, mushrooms are a kind of living thing called a fungus.
No, mushrooms are not animals. They belong to the kingdom of fungi, which is separate from the kingdoms of plants and animals.
Mushrooms are heterotrophs, meaning they cannot produce their own food. Instead, they obtain nutrients by decomposing organic matter and breaking down dead plants, animals, and other organic materials.
