why do mushrooms grow their gills and spores on the underside of the fruit body? Isn’t it better to grow it on top so that air and passing animals can carry it?

Question

Edit: Why do **some** mushrooms…

In: Biology

Answer 1

My uneducated observation would be that the gill down approach keeps the structures the most protected. The cap protects from falling debris, direct sunlight, and other things which might damage a relatively delicate/complex structure. I’ve even seen plenty of mushrooms that push their way out of the soil and end up with clods of dirt and pine needles sitting on top of their caps for some time.