Fungus
Green Pepe
Mycena chlorophosAlso known as Glowing Mushroom, Bioluminescent Mycena
Green pepe mushrooms glow with a vivid pale green bioluminescence that illuminates dark subtropical forest floors. Growing on decaying twig debris and logs, these delicate fungi produce a sticky, brownish-grey cap during humid, rainy weather. The green emission reaches peak brightness when caps fully expand and surrounding air temperatures linger around 27 degrees Celsius.
BioluminescentFungusSubtropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyDead wood, Lignin, Cellulose
Predators
- Fungus gnats
- Slugs
- Beetles
ThreatsDeforestation and forest fragmentation
HabitatsSubtropical and tropical humid forests
Life spanFruit bodies last 1–3 days; mycelium persists indefinitely
Classification
- FamilyMycenaceae
- SpeciesMycena chlorophos
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Nighttime Observation: Explore damp forest paths after dark with a dimmed red flashlight to locate the soft luminescence.
- Habitat Care: Avoid disrupting decaying wood and fallen branches where the delicate fungal threads develop.
- Photography: Use a long exposure and a stable tripod to capture the green glow clearly.
Bioluminescent Fungus (c) tripsis, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Bioluminescent Relative (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · cc-by
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