Coral fungi

        Coral fungi are characterized by fruiting bodies that typically consist or one or more upright branches that are usually branched, sometimes rather intricately so. The spore-bearing surface is located on these branches. Coral fungi resemble the corals found in the ocean, hence their name. Fungi that have been assigned to the group are not all closely related, something that has become apparent only recently as a result of molecular studies. Some species form mycorrhizal associations with forest trees, whereas others are decomposers of wood and litter.