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Go to the key  ---INDEX--- Major Phyla
Go to the gallery      General fossil discussion      Geologic time
Although commonly found in nature (nearly 100,000 species and counting), this kingdom has left few fossils and hence will not be discussed here to any extent. It includes three divisions (just as for plants, fungi phyla are called divisions)
Division ZYGOMYCOTA. Includes bread molds and many microscopic fungi.
      Division ASCOMYCOTA. This division includes the yeasts, important in baking and fermentation. It also
                  includes lichens, a symbiotic system of fungi and algae or of fungi and cyanobacteria.
     
      Division BASIDIOMYCOTA.  These are the mushrooms and toadstools, as well as plant pathogens such as 
                   rust or smut. 

    Below are examples of spalling, caused by a decay fungus in wood. . 

 
 
 

On the right is a picture of petrified wood from Arizona showing spalling (the black lines caused by a fungus) that were preserved as the wood became petrified. On the left, is a block of sweetgum wood showing the same black spalling pattern.