“Massive Mushroom, Weighing Nearly 5 Tons, Discovered and Potentially Ьгeаkѕ World Record as the Largest of Its Kind”
Yep, that’s right! The largest living organism on Earth is a huge fungus called Armillaria ostoyae. It is also known as the “Humongous Fungi” or the “Honey Mushroom.” This massive fungus is believed to cover over 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) and is located in Oregon’s Blue Mountains.
The fungus is not apparent to the human eye since it grows underground, yet it produces clusters of mushrooms that are visible above ground. The fungus’ underground network is composed of interwoven threads known as mycelium, which can extend for miles in search of nutrition and moisture. The mycelium also allows the fungus to communicate with other plants and species in the ecosystem, allowing it to play an essential role in the ecology of the forest.
Despite its enormous size, the gigantic fungus is not the most massive organism in terms of mass. The honor goes to another massive fungus, Armillaria solidipes, which weighs over 400 tons and spans an area of around 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest.
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