Pyronema omphalodes (Pyronema omphalodes)

Phylum: Ascomycota

Class:    Pezizomycetes

Order:   Pezizales

Family:  Pyronemataceae

Common in recent weeks after fires, growing on burnt wood and soil. These fungi are hairless and their coalesceing growth results in a continuous mass. As these fungi mature the become powdery.

This genus is one of the first fungi to appear after fires and can be widespread and abunant.

It starts off as a white cobwebby mycelial feltwork (a mould looking structure) then as it matures it tends to move through pink to orange with a whitish mycelial margin. It grows on the burnt soil and wood.

Spores white.