Stats

Lifespan

A few days

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Northern Hemisphere

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This shelf fungus grows in overlapping clusters on decaying hardwood logs. Its gills release a fine brown dust that can travel 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

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Basidiomycota

Class

Agaricomycetes

Order

Agaricales

Family

Crepidotaceae

Genus

Crepidotus

Species

Crepidotus applanatus