Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Tiny

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Armor

Status

Uncommon

About

Hypoxylon is a crust-like fungus that grows on the decaying trunks of beech trees. It releases clouds of black spores that can travel over three miles on a light breeze.

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

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Ascomycota

Class

Sordariomycetes

Order

Xylariales

Family

Hypoxylaceae

Genus

Hypoxylon