Stats

Lifespan

A few days

Size

Tiny

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Warning Colors

Status

Uncommon

About

This tiny orange fungus grows on damp mossy patches in forests. Its cap spans less than one centimeter and features microscopic spikes that trap passing nematodes.

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

Hymenochaetales

Family

Rickenellaceae

Genus

Rickenella

Species

Rickenella fibula