erindilises

Erindilises is a fictional genus of mycorrhizal fungi described in speculative biology and worldbuilding literature. They form extensive ectomycorrhizal networks with hardwood trees, facilitating nutrient exchange and improving drought tolerance in their ecosystems. The name in-world is linked to a term for root lattice.

Morphology: Fruiting bodies are slender stalks with caps up to 12 cm wide. Caps are iridescent, shifting from pale green to blue, with a fine-scaled surface. The gills release bioluminescent spores that glow faintly at night. The subterranean mycelium forms a dense network connecting many trees.

Ecology: They inhabit temperate forests of the imagined planet Veridia, preferring mildly acidic to neutral soils and moist microclimates. By transferring phosphorus and nitrogen and signaling defenses, their networks support host trees during drought and disease. Fruiting occurs after sustained rainfall in spring and autumn.

Taxonomy and cultural impact: Within fiction, erindilises are assigned to the family Erindilaceae, order Erindilales, though they lack real-world taxonomic status. They are used to illustrate complex symbioses and ecosystem resilience in worldbuilding texts, and appear in debates about conservation ethics in fictional biomes.