DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN FUNGI

Although fungi commonly reproduce sexually and accomplish this by combining the genetic information of two parents, their life histories can be quite complex and different from those of vertebrates and plants. Added to this complexity is the fact that fungi are a highly diverse group and not subject to a single all-inclusive reproductive pattern. To deal with this diversity we have divided sexually reproducing fungi into two groups; those reproducing by sporangia and zygosporangia, encompassing the Chytridiomycota and the Zygomycota, and those having asci or basidia, members of the Basidiomycota and the Ascomycota. These groups are discussed in greater detail in the section concerned with the Diversity and classification of fungi.