Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This parasitic fungus grows across the caps of bolete mushrooms in forests. It slowly consumes its host, turning the mushroom a bright golden yellow color.

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

Sordariomycetes

Order

Hypocreales

Family

Hypocreaceae

Genus

Hypomyces

Species

Hypomyces chrysospermus