Each group below kingdom is referred to by botanists as a division and is equivalent to a phylum. This group includes about 275,000 species. These are obviously estimates as much of the worlds vegetation remains unclassified. The Fungal Kingdom There are thought to be approx. 100,000 species of fungi.
Fungi range from microscopic in size to easily visable to the naked eye.
Most have multiple cells which form thread like structures called hyphae. Like plants, they have cell walls, although they are made of glucans, mannans and chitin rather than cellulose. Unlike plants, they have no chloroplasts and therefore rely on organic matter for energy and nutrients. This is why they are often associated with disease and decomposition. This is a massive kingdom containing an estimated 1,500,000 species.