fordelas

Fordelas is a fictional genus of bioluminescent fungi created for speculative fiction and world-building. In the imagined taxonomy, Fordelas is placed in the family Fordeliaceae and is noted for producing soft blue-green light from fruiting bodies and mycelium.

The name Fordelas derives from the fictional mycologist Mara Fordela, combining her surname with a Latin-like suffix used in botanical naming.

Fruit bodies range from 2 to 6 centimeters across, with a domed to flattened cap. The surface is fibrous and pale, while the interior flesh is pale and stringy. Bioluminescence is produced by luciferin–luciferase reactions in the outer tissues and is most visible in damp, low-light conditions.

Fordelas species are said to inhabit cool, moist temperate forests in the fictional region of Eldarath, at elevations of 500–1500 meters, often growing on decaying wood and on living trees in ectomycorrhizal associations.

In world-building contexts, Fordelas is used as an example of a luminescent fungal genus that participates in nutrient cycling and provides ambient light. In fiction, its glow can serve narrative or aesthetic purposes.