The Fungi — Molds 



CHAPTER 19 



CLASSIFICATION OF MOLDS 



MORPHOLOGY 

 Phycomycetes 

 Ascomycetes 

 Basidiomycetes 

 Fungi Imperfecti 

 Myxomycetes 



DISTRIBUTION IN NATURE 



ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE 

 Soil fertility 

 Spoilage 

 Industrial applications 



FUNGUS DISEASES 



Fungi are an ever-present threat as contaminants in bacterial cul- 

 tures, and students engaged in growing microorganisms should be 

 able to recognize molds as such when they find them growing in 

 their cultures. This chapter will briefly outline the general char- 

 acteristics of molds, and a few genera and species will be con- 

 sidered in a limited way. 



The science of fungi is termed mycology, and fungi include 

 molds, yeasts, smuts, rusts, blights, mildews, and mushrooms. The 

 word MOLD has no taxonomic significance, but it is commonly as- 

 sociated with those loose thread-like plants found on decomposing 

 matter and in such foods as cheeses to which molds impart char- 

 acteristic flavors. 



CLASSIFICATION OF MOLDS 



The following abbreviated classification indicates the position 

 occupied in the plant kingdom of these chlorophyll-free, multi- 

 cellular plants. 

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