Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Subtropical orchards

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Rare

About

This fungus lives in the soil of citrus groves and spreads across fruit skins. It releases millions of microscopic spores that can travel on air currents for miles.

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

Eurotiomycetes

Order

Eurotiales

Family

Aspergillaceae

Genus

Penicillium

Species

Penicillium digitatum