fruiting body

This species is unique for the dorsal attachment of its stipe to the top of the pileus, and the abundant cystidia covering all surfaces of the fruiting body.

"I was surprised to see the unusually cube-shaped ice formations on the fruiting body of this slime mould. This shot is comprised of 87 focus-bracketed images, focus-stacked together."

The mycelium fibers from the fruiting body contain proteins, chitin, and polysaccharides, which make them ideal for making packaging materials, soundproofing, textiles, and much more.

Spores from these fungi latch onto and kill their insect or arachnid prey—and then a fruiting body bursts from the corpse to spread more spores.

A single fruiting body can get quite heavy and feature hundreds of distinct, smooth lobes that are free of pores or wrinkles.