General Characteristics Of Fungi

In this post, will be explained about the general characteristics possessed by the fungi. Fungi are one of the kingdoms of living beings that have a fundamental difference with the kingdom of other living things.

General characteristics:

1. Fungi are members of the world's most primitive plants.
2. Fungi are part of the talofit (plants that have a talus). Talus is a simple plant structure that has no roots, stems, flowers, and seeds.
3. Talus in function usually consists of branched threads called hyphae. A collection of hyphae is called mycelium.
   
4. Fungi reproduce in two different ways - asexual and sexual. Mushrooms produce spores as a breeding tool.
5. Asexual spores are shaped like dust composed of very small particles. These spores are called conidium. Conidium comes from the Greek word dust.
6. When these spores germinate, it will form mycelium.
7. The dispersion of conidium is aided by wind, rain, insects, birds, humans or other intermediaries. They can travel hundreds or even thousands of miles without before they start germinating. This spore will not be damaged even though traveling a great distance.
8. Spores spread as above makes the function can be found almost in the whole hemisphere.
9. Sexual reproduction occurs when male sex cells fertilize female genital cells. Sexual spores are produced by the fruit bodies in the fungus. The body of this fruit arises from hyphae underground or rotting wood.
10. Fungi do not have chlorophyll so can not make their own food. Therefore, the fungi depend on other living things to get food.
11. Some mushrooms live as parasites. They grow in other organisms and get food directly from the organism.
12. Some other fungi obtain food from organic material derived from dead organisms. Such fungi-fungi called saprofit.
13. Fungi do not put solid food into the body directly. They must change this solid food to be digested by the body. To change the food ingredients so that the body can be absorbed, the fungi will release enzymes into their foodstuffs.
14. Enzymes will destroy complex organic materials to be simpler and easier to dissolve in water. This dissolved food will be absorbed by the fungus.
15. Enzymes produced by fungi also play a role in the process of decaying organic matter. The decay of organic matter is an important process to maintain the survival of organisms on earth.
16. In the decay process, the fungi will change the complex organic compounds present in the animal and the dead plants into simpler materials and can be reabsorbed by the plants.
    
17. Plants use these substances as ingredients to make food. Animal herbivores will eat herbs as food to produce energy. Meanwhile, carnivorous animals gain energy by eating other animals.
18. From the above process, you can see how important decaying creatures like fungi in our lives.
19. Humans use enzyme activity in fungi to make foodstuffs such as beer, bread, and cheese.

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