# Giant Fungus D. rex Discovered After Dinosaur Extinction

> Scientists find giant fungus D. rex in China's Yunnan province, a species that grew after dinosaurs died out.
- Title: Giant Fungus D. rex Discovered After Dinosaur Extinction · CNN
- Summary: Scientists find giant fungus D. rex in China's Yunnan province, a species that grew after dinosaurs died out. Scientists discovered D. rex, a giant fungus…
- Keywords: d. rex, dianjunaceae, yunnan province, china, fungal diversity, extinction event, stromata, science, Giant, Fungus, rex, Discovered
- Source: CNN — https://cnn.com/2026/10/23/science/giant-fungus-discovery-d-rex
- Author: Mindy Weisberger
- Published: 2026-10-23T15:30:15.272+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: d. rex, dianjunaceae, yunnan province, china, fungal diversity, extinction event, stromata, science
## New Giant Fungus Found
Scientists discovered D. rex, a giant fungus growing from dying host plants in China's Yunnan province.
## D. rex Shares Name with T. rex
D. rex belongs to a family of fungi that appeared after the mass extinction event that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.
## Size of D. rex
D. rex's fruiting bodies can grow 20 inches tall and weigh nearly 5 pounds, making it the largest known ascomycete.
## Fungus Discovery Timeline
Scientists recorded D. rex in Yunnan province during fungal diversity surveys in 2024 and 2025, reporting findings September 28 in Frontiers in Fungal Biology.
## Local Observations
Farmers in Yunnan saw D. rex's stromata around dead trees but didn't recognize its significance until locals sent photos to scientists.
## Evolution After Extinction
The mass extinction event that killed dinosaurs created conditions for D. rex to evolve, as decomposers exploited dead organic matter.
## Unique Fungal Family
D. rex belongs to a new family, Dianjunaceae, that likely emerged 1 million years after the asteroid impact ending the Cretaceous Period.
## Why D. rex is So Large
D. rex's upright stromata may help disperse spores widely, improving reproductive success in dense forest floors.
## Key takeaway

Scientists discovered D. rex, a giant fungus that grew in China after the dinosaur extinction event.