Abstract
Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis or phycomycosis), an aggressive, life-threatening infection is further aggravating the human health-impact of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a great deal of mostly misleading discussion is focused also on the aggravation of the COVID-19 accrued impacts due to the white and yellow fungal diseases. In addition to the knowledge of important risk factors, modes of spread, pathogenesis and host defences, a critical discussion on the botanical insights into the main causative agents of mucormycosis in the current context is very imperative. Given above, in this paper: (i) general background of the mucormycosis and COVID-19 is briefly presented; (ii) overview of fungi is presented, the major beneficial and harmful fungi are highlighted; and also the major ways of fungal infections such as mycosis, mycotoxicosis, and mycetismus are enlightened; (iii) the major causative agents of mucormycosis are critically discussed; (iv) the systematic position, occurrence, structure, and the major modes of reproduction are summarized for Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp., the major causative agents of mucormycosis; (v) the other causative agents of mucormycosis includes Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Apophysomyces elegans, Lichtheimia (Absidia), Saksenaea, and Rhizomucor pusillus are briefly introduced; (vi) facts related with the infection-misnomers based on fungi colour are also highlighted; and lastly, (vii) the major take-home message and clues for future research on the subject are listed.