MUCH MORE ABOUT FUNGUS
Most fungi reproduce by spores, which are
tiny particles of protoplasm enclosed in walls. The common mushroom may form 12 billion or more spores on its fruiting body; the giant puffball may produce several thousand billion.
Spores are usually formed in one of two ways. In one process the spores form after the union of two or more nuclei within a specialized cell or series of cells. These spores typically germinate into hyphae that have different combinations of the hereditary characteristics of the parent nuclei. Different types of spores are produced, which vary in morphology and development. These variations are used as the basis for the classification of different fungi. Oospores are formed by sexual union of a male and a female cell, zygospores by conjugation of two similar sex cells. Ascospores are spores (usually eight) that are contained in sacs (asci), and basidiospores (usually four) are contained in club-like structures
(basidia).
The other usual method of spore production involves the transformation of hyphae into numerous short segments or into various kinds of more complicated structure. Here, the fusion of two nuclei is not a requirement. The principal reproductive spores formed in this asexual manner include types called oidia, conidia, and sporangiospores. Sporangiospores are formed inside bladder-like containers called sporangia. Most fungi produce spores both sexually and asexually.