Heavenly Light Mycena
Mycena lux-coeli
Fungi
RARE
Stats
- Lifespan
- A few weeks
- Size
- Tiny
- Diet
- Decomposer
- Biome
- Temperate rainforest
- Range
- Japan
- Movement
- Sessile
- Breeding
- Spores
- Defense
- Toxins
- Status
- Rare
About
This tiny bioluminescent mushroom, native to the subtropical forests of Japan, emits a soft green glow from its cap at night through the same luciferin-luciferase chemistry that lights fireflies. It grows exclusively on the fallen wood of Castanopsis (chinquapin) trees, making its ghostly light a rare sight even within its native range.
Life cycle
- 1.sporeA microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
- 2.myceliumA thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
- 3.fruiting bodyA mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Fungi
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Mycenaceae
- Genus
- Mycena
- Species
- Mycena lux-coeli