Stats

Lifespan

A few days

Size

Medium

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This fungus grows in clusters on rotted hardwood across eastern North America. Its gills liquefy into a black ink as the cap matures and flattens.

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

Coprinopsis

Species

Coprinopsis variegata