A genus of fungi, called earth tongues, that produce dark fruiting bodies resembling small tongues or clubs growing from forest soil and rotting wood.
From geo- (Earth) + Greek 'glossa' (tongue), referring to the distinctive shape of the fruiting bodies. Named in the 18th century by naturalists struck by their appearance.
Earth tongue fungi are somewhat rare and mysterious—even mycologists don't fully understand their ecological role, making them among the less-studied fungi despite their distinctive and otherworldly appearance.
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