________________
Bacteria, Algae and Fungi as Found in the Jaina Literature
95
Algae are primarily inhabitants of water (Jalaruha) 1,-fresh or salt water, but according to Biology, "few of them live on rock surfaces and on the bark of tree. The ones living in such comparatively dry places usually remain dormant when water is absent"62
Algae are important food producers by virtue of their tremendous numbers. as all of the photosynthesis in fresh water or in the sea is carried on by algae. According to Biology, there are many kinds of algae, such as, blue-green algae, green algae, brown algae, red algae, etc68.
Fungi (paņaga):
The simple plants that lack chlorophyll are called fungi (panaga). The true fungi include rust, smuts, mushrooms, toad-stood, etc. They are of five colours-red, yellow, grey (or cloudy), blask and white84.
In a fungus, such as, the mushroom (kuhana), the mycelium is below ground; the mushroom cap that is eaten is a fruiting body that grows out from the mycelium. According to modern Biology "Fungi are either saprophytic or parasitic and are found universally wherever organic material is available; they grow best in dark, moist habitats86.
61 Pannavaņā, 1,51; Panaga also is jalaruha 62 Biology p. 145 63 Ibid., pp. 147-152 64 Jivavicāra. p. 133.. 65 Biology, p. 155
