Fungal collections

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophs or they cannot make their food. Examples of fungi are yeast, rusts, smuts, mildews, molds, and mushrooms. Historically, fungi were included in the plant kingdom but the lack of chlorophyll separated them from the plant kingdom. Unlike the higher plant groups, these fascinating species are not capable of photosynthesis. 

Fungi have a cryptic lifestyle on soil or dead matter of either plant, animals, and other fungi. They are considered as parasites playing an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and eventually in nutrient cycling. Also, they are economically important as a direct source of human food, in the production of antibiotics, as biological pesticides, among many others. The branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi is known as mycology. Currently, there are at least 5,120 mycological collections deposited at the Philippine National Herbarium (PNH).