Phakathi kwezinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo nezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni wethu, indawo ebalulekile ehlala kuyo Amakhowe, kunezinhlobo ezingaba izinkulungwane eziyikhulu, futhi zimila ngokoqobo yonke indawo. Mhlawumbe, ayikho indawo enjalo eMhlabeni lapho amakhowe engeke athole izimo zokuthuthukiswa kwawo. Amakhowe amila emahlathini nasemasimini, ezingadini nasezimfeni, ezintabeni nasezingwadule, enhlabathini nasemanzini.
Umuntu waqala ukubonisa isithakazelo kumakhowe kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo. Amakhowe ayehlukaniswa aba okudliwayo, okudliwayo okunemibandela nokungadliwa (ama-toadstool), anobuthi. Kukhona ngisho nesayensi yamakhowe - i-mycology - kepha akakwazanga ukuphendula umbuzo isikhathi eside: iyiphi indawo amakhowe ahlala kuyo ohlelweni lomhlaba wezinto eziphilayo? Futhi kuphela ekupheleni kwekhulu le-18 ukuba kwabo kwezitshalo ze-spore ekugcineni kwalungiswa. Kodwa ingabe amakhowe ayizitshalo ngempela? Ngempela, ngokungafani nezitshalo, azinayo i-chlorophyll, azikwazi ukumunca i-carbon dioxide emoyeni ngokwazo, ngakho-ke zidla izinto eziphilayo ezenziwe ngomumo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwakheka kwezicubu zamangqamuzana esikhunta eziningi kuhlanganisa i-chitin, ebuye ibasondeze ezilwaneni.
Izazi eziningi zezinto eziphilayo zanamuhla zihlukanisa amakhowe njengezinhlobo ezihlukene ezikhona kanye nezitshalo nezilwane. Amakhowe abaluleke kakhulu emvelweni nasemisebenzini yezomnotho yabantu.
Amakhowe amaningi ezigqoko (kunezinhlobo ezingaba ngu-200) ayadliwa futhi awumkhiqizo wokudla komuntu. Amakhowe asedliwe cishe kuwo wonke umlando wesintu. Ngokuphathelene nokwakheka kwawo kwamakhemikhali kanye nokuqukethwe kwamaprotheni, amakhowe aseduze nenyama kunokutshala imikhiqizo. Futhi ngokwenani nokwakheka kwama-carbohydrate namaminerali, aseseduze nemifino nezithelo.
Inani lokudla okunomsoco lamakhowe linqunywa ukuba khona kwezinhlanganisela ezihlukahlukene ze-organic kanye nosawoti wamaminerali kuwo. Amakhowe acebile kuma-enzyme ahlukahlukene akhuthaza ukuwohloka kwamafutha kanye ne-fiber. Lesi sici sibonisa amakhowe njengomkhiqizo owengeziwe odingekayo futhi owusizo ekudleni kwansuku zonke. Okuqukethwe ushukela ohlukahlukene kumakhowe kukhulisa kakhulu inani labo lokudla okunempilo futhi kunikeza ukunambitheka okumnandi okumnandi. Amakhowe nawo aqukethe amafutha abalulekile, ukugaya kwawo kucishe kulingane namafutha ezilwane. Amafutha abalulekile anika amakhowe iphunga elithile, futhi ama-resin awanika isici se-ductility (ubisi, i-russula ethile). Amakhowe nawo acebile ezintweni ezibalulekile zokulandela umkhondo.
Amakhowe amasha angagcinwa amahora ambalwa kuphela, ngakho-ke ukuze avune esikhathini esizayo ayomiswa, anosawoti, afakwe emanzini anosawoti, ekheniwe.