Sarah Brown
Mushrooms and plants are two distinct types of organisms with different characteristics. Plants are living organisms that grow from the soil and turn sunlight into food through photosynthesis. They are predominantly photosynthetic, obtaining their energy from sunlight and using chloroplasts to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water. There are about 380,000 known species of plants, ranging from single-celled organisms to tall trees like the giant redwood. On the other hand, mushrooms are a type of fungus with approximately 14,000 species. They lack chlorophyll and obtain their nutrients from other materials. Mushrooms produce spores instead of seeds and have unique structures like gills or pores. While some mushrooms are edible and nutritious, others can be poisonous or deadly. Both mushrooms and plants play important roles in nature and have various uses for humans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi. |
| Taxonomy | Mushrooms are classified as fungi, which are distinct from plants and animals. Fungi have their own kingdom, separate from the plant and animal kingdoms. |
| Cellular Composition | Fungi have cell walls made of chitin, unlike plants, which have cell walls made of cellulose. |
| DNA | Fungal cells typically have half of a full set of DNA, while plant and animal cells have a full set. |
| Nutrition | Mushrooms lack chlorophyll and do not photosynthesize. They obtain nutrients by digesting other materials, including dead organic matter and living tissues. |
| Habitat | Mushrooms are often found in soil or growing on trees. |
| Uses | Mushrooms are used as food, medicine, and psychotropic substances. They also have industrial applications, such as in the production of antibiotics and enzymes. |
| Identification | Mushrooms can be identified through macroscopic and microscopic examination, considering factors such as structure, color, odor, taste, habitat, and season. |
| Toxicity | Some mushrooms are poisonous or toxic, while others are edible and nutritious. |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are fungi, not plants, and have their own kingdom
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and fungi are not plants. Fungi have their own kingdom, separate from plants and animals. While fungi and plants share some similarities, such as being mainly immobile and having similar growth habitats, they are fundamentally different. Fungi lack chloroplasts, which are a defining feature of plants, and have a unique mode of acquiring nutrients. Instead of making their own food through photosynthesis like plants, fungi secrete digestive enzymes and then absorb nutrients from their surroundings.
The distinction between fungi and plants has been a subject of scientific debate and taxonomic classification. Early taxonomists, including Carl Linnaeus, Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, classified fungi based on their morphology and physiology, leading to their initial grouping with plants. However, modern molecular evidence and phylogenetic analyses have revealed that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. This evidence is supported by the presence of a posterior flagellum in the last common ancestor of fungi and animals, placing them in the clade Opisthokonta.
The unique characteristics of fungi, including the presence of chitin in their cell walls and their heterotrophic mode of nutrition, further distinguish them from plants and warrant their classification in a separate kingdom. The kingdom Fungi encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa, life cycle strategies, and morphologies. It is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla, showcasing the complexity and variety within the fungal kingdom.
The proper classification of fungi as a separate kingdom from plants has important implications for our understanding of evolution, ecology, and cellular biology. It also influences how we engage with and support different organisms financially, culturally, and scientifically. While the distinction between mushrooms as fungi and not plants may seem subtle, it highlights the dynamic nature of taxonomic classification and our evolving understanding of the natural world.
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There are around 14,000 species of mushrooms
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They are not plants, but rather a separate kingdom, more closely related to animals than plants. The terms "mushroom" and "toadstool" are centuries old, but were never precisely defined, and there was no consensus on their application. The word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap. However, the term "mushroom" also describes a variety of other gilled fungi, with or without stems. Forms that deviate from this standard morphology usually have more specific names, such as "bolete", "truffle", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel".
The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. Agaricus are the leading mushroom crops worldwide and accounted for approximately 97% of total US mushroom production from 2017 to 2018. Oyster (Pleurotus spp.) and shiitake mushrooms rank second and third, respectively, in worldwide production. Production systems for domesticated varieties vary by type of mushroom and include both indoor and outdoor systems. Either natural or synthetic substrates may be used. Wild harvest remains the largest source of commercially important mycorrhizal species (such as truffles, chanterelles, and morels), despite scientific advances in domestication.
Identifying mushrooms requires a basic understanding of their macroscopic structure. Most 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 as a result. At the microscopic level, the basidiospores are shot off basidia and then fall between the gills in the dead air space. As a result, for most mushrooms, if the cap is cut off and placed gill-side-down overnight, a powdery impression reflecting the shape of the gills (or pores, or spines, etc.) is formed (when the fruit body is sporulating). The color of the powdery print, called a spore print, is useful in both classifying and identifying mushrooms. Spore print colors include white (most common), brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and creamy, but almost never blue, green, or red.
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Mushrooms produce spores, not seeds
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They are often identified by their macroscopic structure, which includes gills that produce spores, a cap, and a stem. These gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread and find new food sources. These spores are often released in a fine rain of powder from under the caps and travel via wind currents. When they land in a moist place, they germinate and release chemicals to dissolve the food, which is then absorbed by the growing fungus.
The differences between spores and seeds are also evident in their visibility. Most plant seeds are visible to the human eye, while mushroom spores are tiny dust-like particles that can only be seen under a microscope. However, when thousands of spores come together, their colour can be observed, aiding in mushroom identification.
Mushroom spores are generally safe and are often ingested along with edible mushrooms without causing harm. However, in some individuals, inhaling mushroom spores can trigger an allergic reaction. Mushroom growers exposed to large volumes of spores are advised to wear respirators to prevent potential allergic responses.
Fungi, including mushrooms, have historically been grouped with plants. However, modern molecular evidence reveals that fungi are more closely related to animals than plants. This discovery has provided valuable insights into the evolutionary histories of these organisms and their relationships to one another.
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Plants are predominantly photosynthetic
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. Fungi, which include mushrooms, are not plants. In fact, they are more closely related to animals than plants. Fungi have historically been grouped with plants, and this misclassification has had an impact on how we understand and engage with them.
Plants, on the other hand, are predominantly photosynthetic organisms. They use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar through the process of photosynthesis. This process was discovered in 1779 by Jan Ingenhousz, who showed that plants need light, not just soil and water. The average rate of energy captured by global photosynthesis is approximately 130 terawatts, which is about eight times the total power consumption of human civilization. Photosynthetic organisms also convert around 100-115 billion tons of carbon into biomass per year.
During photosynthesis, plants absorb light primarily using the pigment chlorophyll. The green part of the light spectrum is not absorbed but reflected, which is why most plants are green. Chlorophyll is located within the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast, which is the site of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll absorbs energy from blue and red light waves, converting it into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH molecules. This energy is then used to synthesize sugars through a sequence of light-independent reactions called the Calvin cycle. In this process, atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into existing organic compounds, forming carbohydrates such as glucose.
The energy stored within the glucose molecules provides plants with the fuel they need to grow and carry out their life processes. It also supports the rest of life on Earth, as herbivores obtain this energy by eating plants, and carnivores obtain it by eating herbivores. Ultimately, all life, including humans, relies on photosynthesis, even if indirectly, as we are all part of a food chain that originates with photosynthetic organisms.
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There are about 380,000 known species of plants
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap. The gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus.
Fungi have historically been grouped with plants, but they are more closely related to animals than plants. They have their own kingdom, but they continue to demand taxonomic attention.
There are about 380,000-391,000 known species of vascular plants, according to a report by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the United Kingdom. About 94% of these, or 369,000 species, are flowering plants. The report provides baseline information on all vascular plants, including new plant discoveries and threats. It is estimated that about 2,000 new plant species are discovered or described every year, and many of these are already on the verge of extinction. In fact, one in every five plant species is likely threatened with extinction.
The report also highlights the importance of plants in our lives, from providing food, medicines, and clothing to being used as building materials and biofuels, as well as regulating the climate. Despite this importance, only a few unique plant species are legally protected. The report calls for international collaboration and partnerships to work together to fill the knowledge gaps and expand efforts for plant conservation.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms are a type of fungus. They are neither plants nor animals and constitute their own kingdom: the Fungi. They lack chlorophyll and take nutrients from other materials. There are about 10,000 kinds of mushrooms in North America and 14,000 species described worldwide.
Mushrooms produce spores, which are almost as fine as smoke. When spores land in a suitable place, they germinate and develop fine filaments that become a new mycelium, which is a network of filaments that infuses a patch of soil or wood.
Plants are living things that grow from the soil and turn light from the sun into food through a process called photosynthesis. They are predominantly photosynthetic, meaning they obtain their energy from sunlight using chloroplasts. There are about 380,000 known species of plants.
The parts of a plant include a stem, leaves, and roots. Plants provide food, fibre, shelter, medicine, and fuel.
Some common types of mushrooms include chanterelles, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms, and fly agarics.
