how do mushrooms grow so quickly?
There are two basic reasons: 1) since they store up compounds between fruiting, and most fruit once a year, they have a lot of reserve available to support the mushroom. 2) Mushrooms develop differently than do plants or animals. Plants and animals grow through cell division. To get bigger they have to produce more cells. Cell division is relatively slow and requires a lot of energy. The mushroom body also grows by cell division. However, the mushroom fruit does not. Just about as soon as it begins to develop, a mushroom has almost the same amount of cells as a mature mushroom will have. The mushroom increases in size through cell enlargement; this means that the cells can “balloon” up very quickly. Very little energy is required. Basically, the cells just enlarge with water. So a mushroom can increase in size as fast as water can be pumped into its cells. Almost overnight a mushroom can go from a pinhead to a large mushroom. Please note that I am not trying to teach anyone how to iden
There are two basic reasons: 1) Since they store up compounds between fruiting and most fruit once a year, they have a lot of reserve available to support the mushroom. 2) Mushrooms develop differently than plants or animals do. Plants and animals grow through cell division – to get bigger they have to produce more cells. Cell division is relatively slow and requires a lot of energy. The mushroom body also grows by cell division. However, the mushroom fruit does not grow by cell division. Just about as soon as it starts to develop, a mushroom has almost the same number of cells that the mature mushroom will have. The mushroom increases in size through cell ENLARGEMENT! This means that the cells can balloon up very rapidly. Very little energy is required, basically the cells just enlarge with water. So a mushroom can increase in size as fast as water can be pumped into its cells. Almost overnight a mushroom can go from a pin head to a large mushroom.
