New Giant Fungus Discovered in China | JQJO

Scientists have identified a gigantic fungus, Dianjunus rex, in Yunnan province, China. The species, named after the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex, grew from the mass‑extinction period 65 million years ago. D. rex produces pale yellowish fruiting bodies called stromata that can reach 20 inches (50 cm) tall and weigh nearly 5 pounds (2.2 kg). The fungus was recorded during 2024‑2025 surveys and reported in Frontiers in Fungal Biology on September 28. Local farmers had previously seen the fleshy, finger‑like stromata around a dead tree, and some tasted it with no ill effects. The discovery highlights the still‑unexplored diversity of fungi that emerged after the dinosaur extinction.