A general term used to denote a group of eukaryotic protists, including mushrooms, yeasts, rusts, moulds, smuts, etc., which are characterized by the absence of chlorophyll and by the presence of a rigid cell wall composed of chitin, mannans, and sometimes cellulose. They are usually of simple morphological form or show some reversible cellular specialization, such as the formation of pseudoparenchymatous tissue in the fruiting body of a mushroom. The dimorphic fungi grow, according to environmental conditions, as moulds or yeasts.
Any of a major group of saprophytic and parasitic plants that lack chlorophyll and flowers, including molds, toadstools, rusts, mildews, smuts, mushrooms, and yeasts.
A non-photo synthesizing, spore-producing organism made up of hyphae with chitinous cell walls and that produce enzymes and absorb food from their environment.
A very large group of evolutionary primitive plants, of which the most relevant to gardeners are mushrooms and the many parasitic fungi that cause most plant diseases.