Lion's mane, a delicious edible mushroom, turns out to be a life-threatening troublemaker deep in the forest.

The Lion's mane thrives in a dark and humid environment with low temperature, and produces spores that can cause heart rot or even death of a tree once it makes its way through an open wound. However, trees are normally well protected by their own bark, so they do not succumb easily.

Even if some spores are lucky enough to cross the first line of defense, trees produce chemicals that can deter the fungus.

In a seriously damaged tree, however, the spores are able to force their way inside the trunk successfully and absorb much needed nutrition from the tree to grow into a round fist-sized fungus and start another cycle of invasion. 

China's Flora Tour

From the wetlands along the coast to the dense rain forests hidden in the southwest of China, all boast an array of plant species. In this series, we will go on a tour to learn about some of the most iconic flora in different provinces and see how they live in harmony with the local climate and topography. 

( All photos via VCG. )

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