Question
Question: Which of the following is correct about a mushroom? A. Moss B. Fern C. Yeast D. Pine E. Se...
Which of the following is correct about a mushroom?
A. Moss
B. Fern
C. Yeast
D. Pine
E. Seaweed
F. Fungi
Solution
Mushrooms are umbrella-shaped organisms. They consist of a stalk, cap, and mycelium. These are multicellular heterotrophic organisms. They are usually found growing on dead and decaying matter. They have colorful caps. They reproduce employing specialized spores called basidiospores.
Complete answer: Mosses are flowerless primitive type plants. They lack true stem, roots, and leaves. They are found growing in damp and humid areas. They reproduce by means of spores but are not a fungus as they perform photosynthesis. So mushrooms are not moss.
-Ferns are like mosses but have well defined vascular conducting systems in them. Thus, ferns are vascular plants that reproduce by means of spores. They lack flowers and seeds. Mushroom is not a fern.
-Yeast is a type of fungus. These are unicellular eukaryotic organisms. They reproduce by budding. These are very different from the mushrooms.
-Pines are large trees that belong to the genus Pinus. They consist of large clusters of needle-like leaves. These are widely used to obtain soft timber and for furniture. Mushrooms are much smaller and softer than pine and have no leaves.
-Seaweed is macro-sized marine algae. It is a multicellular large-sized alga that is found growing over large stones or rocks inside the water. Their body consists of thallus and they resemble terrestrial non-arboreal plants. Mushrooms are not algae.
-The fungi kingdom consists of a diverse group of multicellular and unicellular organisms. These are spore-producing organisms. These are the key decomposers of the Earth. They grow upon the dead and decaying matter. Fungi range from yeast to large stalked bodies with a cap-like structure that resembles an umbrella called mushrooms. The mushrooms are spore-producing filamentous organisms having stalks, mycelia threads, and cap.
Thus, mushrooms are fungi. So, the correct answer is option F.
Note: Mushrooms are the main decomposers on the Earth’s ecosystem. They grow on dead and decaying matter and help clean large forest rotten wastes. Without mushrooms, the Earth will turn into dumps of forest waste. Also, mushrooms are very nutritious to eat and thus constitute a healthy diet.