Solving the mystery of Aotearoa's colourful fungi

9 September 2024

The Challenge, Future of the planet, Faculty of Science

A 30-year-old theory to explain why some NZ fungi is brightly coloured has been confirmed.

With no land mammals to eat them, truffle-like fungi rely on colour to attract birds Photo: Amy Martin
With no land mammals to eat them, truffle-like fungi rely on colour to attract birds Photo: Amy Martin

SPECIAL FEATURE from Mātātaki| The Challenge 

The mystery of why some New Zealand fungi mimic fruit has been solved. The vivid colours of some fungi species are an evolutionary echo of a time when our forests thronged with birdlife. 

Available for republication: Gilbert Wong, gilbert.wong@auckland.ac.nz

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