Non vascular Plants(Algae,Fungi,Lichens and Bryophytes UNIT III -l1-General characters of Fungi and Ainsworth classification

Fungi are saprophytic and parasitic spore-producing eukaryotic typically filamentous organisms formerly classified as plants that lack chlorophyll and include molds, rusts, mildews, smuts, mushrooms, and yeasts

The system divides Kingdom Mycota into two main divisions Myxomycota (Slime molds): Features non-cellular plasmodial or pseudoplasmodial structures Contains four classes:Acrasiomycetes (cellular slime molds)Hydromyxomycetes (net slime molds)Myxomycetes (true slime molds)Plasmodiophoromycetes (parasitic slime molds) Eumycota (True fungi): Divided into five subdivisions Subdivision 1: Mastigomycotina (Zoosporic Fungi) Possess motile spores (zoospores) with flagella Found in aquatic environments Class 1: Chytridiomycetes (e.g., Synchytrium) Class 2: Oomycetes (e.g., Phytophthora infestans - late blight Subdivision 2: Zygomycotina (Zygospore-forming Fungi) Coenocytic hyphae (aseptate) Sexual reproduction through zygospores Class: Zygomycetes Order: Mucorales (e.g., Rhizopus stolonifer - black bread mold) Order: Entomophthorales (e.g., Entomophthora) Subdivision 3: Ascomycotina (Sac Fungi) Produce ascospores inside an ascus Largest fungal group Class: Ascomycetes Order: Saccharomycetales (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae - yeast) Order: Eurotiales (e.g., Aspergillus, Penicillium) Order: Hypocreales (e.g., Fusarium) Subdivision 4: Basidiomycotina (Club Fungi) Spores (basidiospores) produced on a basidium Include mushrooms and rust fungi Class: Basidiomycetes Subdivision 5: Deuteromycotina (Fungi Imperfecti) No known sexual stage Includes many pathogenic fungi Class: Deuteromycetes Order: Moniliales (e.g., Alternaria, Fusarium) Order: Sphaeropsidales (e.g., Phoma) Order: Agaricales (e.g., Agaricus bisporus - edible mushroom) Order: Uredinales (e.g., Puccinia graminis - wheat rust) Order: Ustilaginales (e.g., Ustilago - smut fungi)