How Do Mushrooms Grow?

Mushrooms are very remarkable plants. They have no roots, no stems and no leaves. They grow so fast that you almost feel as if you can see them growing.

They are known as fungi, which means they have no chlorophyll to manufacture their own food.

The part of the mushroom that you see above the ground is only the fruiting part of the fungus. The rest of the plant lies under the surface in the form of a mass of dense white tangled threads.These threads are called mycelium or spawn.

The mycelium threads grow from little spores which are tiny dust-like particles shed from the fully-grown mushroom. On these threads small whitish knobs of tissue bud out and push upwards to expand and finally break out into an umbrella shape

Underneath the umbrella there are little rediating gills which are close together. It is on these gills that the tiny spores are developed. The spores then drop out and are carried away by the wind.

When the spores fall on surfaces suitable for growth, they develop into new plants.

Credit: Tell Me How?