• Question: Why are plants and fungi in different kingdoms?

    Asked by Mbm_8486 to Carrie, Cedric, Ellen, Ines, Rupert on 9 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Rupert Marshall

      Rupert Marshall answered on 9 Mar 2017:

      I’m not an expert on plants or fungi, but they are made of different stuff and live very differently. Fungi cells are made from something called chitin – this is also what makes the exoskeleton of arthropods (like insects and spiders). Plant cells are made from cellulose. Plants can make their own energy but fungi can’t.

    • Photo: Ellen Williams

      Ellen Williams answered on 9 Mar 2017:

      Oh gosh I have absolutely no idea, so sorry. I know very little about both… in fact i don’t even remember studying fungi at all, which seems a shame! I did just read that fungi are actually more closely related to animals than plants… that could be total rubbish or it could be a pretty quirky fact, unfortunately i don’t know which so maybe discard that bit 😉

    • Photo: Ines Goncalves

      Ines Goncalves answered on 9 Mar 2017:

      “Because fungi are monsters that taste horrible” is my boyfriend’s answer… he really doesn’t like mushrooms. But I love mushrooms and I can tell you he’s wrong. Fungi are not plants, they don’t really look like plants do they? They are not green, they have no leaves and they don’t photosynthesise. 🙂

    • Photo: Carrie Ijichi

      Carrie Ijichi answered on 10 Mar 2017:

      All I know is that I love mushrooms!

    • Photo: Cedric Tan

      Cedric Tan answered on 14 Mar 2017:

      There are two very important differences between plants and fungi that allows them to be classified under different kingdoms.

      Plants are make their own energy – and have cell walls made of cellulose, but fungi are take in food for energy – and have cell walls made of chitin.

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