To which one of the following types of organism do mushrooms belong?

Mushrooms belong to the kingdom Fungi. They are characterized as non-green, non-differentiated organisms that lack chlorophyll and obtain nutrition through saprophytic or parasitic means [c1][c3]. Specifically, mushrooms are the macroscopic reproductive structures, or fruiting bodies, of certain fungal species, primarily those within the phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi) [t1][t5][t10]. Unlike algae, which are photosynthetic and often classified under the kingdom Protista, fungi are heterotrophic and possess chitin-based cell walls [t4][t8]. While they were historically grouped with plants, modern biological classification separates them due to their unique physiological and genetic traits [t8]. Mushrooms typically grow on decaying organic matter, where they function as decomposers by breaking down complex substances into simpler ones [c2]. Lichens, though related, are symbiotic associations between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner like algae [t9].

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 9: Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape > 2. Fungi: > p. 156
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: How Nature Works in Harmony > 12.6 What Happens to Waste in Nature? > p. 200
3. [3] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > 5.2.2 Heterotrophic Nutrition > p. 84
4. [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/basidiomycota