Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Tiny

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Warning Colors

Status

Uncommon

About

These tiny yellow fungi grow in dense clusters on decaying wood across the globe. Each cup measures only three millimeters wide and spreads spores by snapping shut.

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

Leotiomycetes

Order

Helotiales

Family

Pezizellaceae

Genus

Calycina

Species

Calycina citrina