Stats

Lifespan

A few days

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Europe and North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This small mushroom grows on decaying wood in damp, shaded forest clearings. Its gills liquefy into a black, ink-like fluid within hours of reaching maturity.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Basidiomycota

Class

Agaricomycetes

Order

Agaricales

Family

Psathyrellaceae

Genus

Coprinellus

Species

Coprinellus flocculosus