Day 30: It's not hard to imagine how the common name "Carbon-antlers" became attached to Xylaria hypoxylon. This dainty fungus grows on rotting wood and can often be found sticking up through the layer of moss which quickly engulfs logs and limbs here in the damp Pacific Northwest. It is also reported to be very mildly bioluminescent (a fact I only recently learned and have yet to observe) due to its ability to collect phosphorus in its tissues. This characteristic gives rise to another common name, "Candlesnuff fungus." It has been hypothesized that the species' bioluminescence may be a product of lignin degradation, and by extension that the degree of "glow" may depend on the substrate species...and here we go again: oh, if only I had more years left to me! There are so many things within my tiny realm about which we know very little. It is my greatest hope that my writings, photos and body of work (small though it may be) will inspire some young scientist to look deeper into the mysteries of the natural world.
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