The mushroom we see is the fruiting part of a fungus that distributes the spores of the fungus for its own reproduction.
Fungus Facts
This bracket fungus was 7 foot high up a mature tree that did not seem to be suffering any ill effects.
The black fungus above was on the stump of a dead Elm and the ill effects were long past. The recycling phase was in full flow.
Edible Fungus
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