Stats

Lifespan

Annual

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

This fungus grows in overlapping tiers on the dead wood of broadleaf trees. It releases spores from its underside to colonize nearby branches during rainfall.

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.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Basidiomycota

Class

Agaricomycetes

Order

Russulales

Family

Stereaceae

Genus

Stereum

Species

Stereum complicatum