Stats

Lifespan

30-100 yrs

Size

Tiny

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This bright yellow lichen forms thin, powdery crusts on the bark of old trees. It lacks any visible reproductive organs and spreads solely by shedding tiny fragments.

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

Ascomycota

Class

Arthoniomycetes

Order

Arthoniales

Family

Chrysotrichaceae

Genus

Chrysothrix

Species

Chrysothrix candelaris