Fascinating Fungus

Because it has been so moist with rainfall, there have been many interesting displays of bracket fungi almost everywhere, from woodlands to garden lawns. Mushrooms and fungi do not have chlorophyll, so they cannot make their own food (like plants do) nor can they ingest it (like animals), except through absorption from their surrounding environment.

Fungi are important decomposers of dead animal and plant matter and thrive in damp and wet areas. They play important role in the forest ecosystem, where they decompose dead matter around roots of the plant and leave behind nutrients that the plants need. Fungi also digest rock particles and other organic materials in soil, in a way of cleaning it for new plants to grow.

Some fungi, like mushrooms, are edible and considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. However, some are poisonous and known to cause death if consumed.