Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

This coral-like fungus grows in branching clusters on decaying wood in damp forests. Each branch tip terminates in a tiny, circular crown that can catch falling spores.

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

Russulales

Family

Auriscalpiaceae

Genus

Artomyces

Species

Artomyces pyxidatus