Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Large

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Uncommon

About

This sturdy white mushroom grows in the soil beneath fir and hemlock trees. Its gills often turn a pale blue color when infected by a parasitic fungus.

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

Russulales

Family

Russulaceae

Genus

Russula

Species

Russula brevipes