Fungi: Characteristics
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNGI 1)They are cosmopolitan in distribution and can occur in any habitat where life is possible. Some fungi occur in fresh or marine water, others are terrestrial and still others are air borne. Many species are parasitic, infecting plants, animals and human-beings. 2)The plant body of fungi typically consists of branched and filamentous hyphae,which form a net-like structure, known as mycelium. 3)The hyphae are aseptate and coenocytic (as in Phycomycetes) or septate and uni-. bi-or multinucleate (as in Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes). 4) The septa usually have simple pores but in Basidiomycetes septa with dolipore occur. On both the sides of the dolipore, a double membranous structure -septal pore cap or parenthosome occurs. These septal pores form a valve like structure. 5) With the exception of slime molds, the protoplast remains surrounded by a distinct cell well. The main component of the cell wall is the fungal c...