SPORE-BEARING PLANTS 129 



The Fungi. With the exception of the fungi, all these plants 

 have chlorophyll and so can make their own starch foods; but 

 this particular group has developed the habit of taking its food 

 from other plants or animals, either dead or alive, and so are called 

 parasites. This parasitic habit crops out occasionally in the 

 flowering plants, also, such as the Indian pipe and beech drops 

 but they, as well as all the fungi, pay a twofold penalty for their 

 laziness. 



Results of Parasitic Habit. When a plant or animal ceases to 

 use an organ that organ degenerates, and the plant or animal 

 loses the ability to use it. So it is with the fungi; they can no 

 longer make their own organic food, and are totally dependent on 

 others for their life. They have to produce millions of spores, 

 since only a few can hope to survive. 



Many fungi perform a useful function in nature by using dead 

 organic tissue for their food, thus acting as scavengers. They 

 also convert such useless matter into food materials which the 

 higher plants can use again. Fungi that feed on dead organic 

 tissue may be useful as scavengers, but unfortunately this dead 

 tissue may also be needed by man for food. The fungi that at- 

 tack our stored meats and vegetables cause a great deal of loss 

 and expense. 



Because of this habit, the fungi bear a peculiar and important 

 relation to other plants and animals, and especially to man. There- 

 fore we shall deal with them as an example of the spore-producing 

 type of plants. 



Examples of Fungi. The mushrooms are the largest fungous 

 forms and while some few are edible the majority are useless for 

 food. Many are poisonous, and the shelf -shaped mushrooms found 

 on trees do enormous damage to timber. Just a word of warning 

 at this point: a " toad stool " is merely a name that some people 

 attach to poisonous mushrooms. There is really no such dif- 

 ference. No " rule " or " sign " can be given by which you may 

 distinguish poisonous forms. Their food value is very slight while 

 the poison of the harmful forms is usually fatal. Bearing this in 

 mind there is but one conclusion, either learn to recognize one or 



