Habitat: Occurs on rotting wood.

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Xylaria is a large genus, whose members are well known only to a few specialists. Xylaria hypoxylon is an exceedingly common species that can be found year-round. The most commonly encountered form, with powdery whitish branch tips, is the asexual stage of the fungus. The sexual stage is less conspicuous as it lacks the white color; it is usually less branched (if at all) and has a rough warty surface from numerous small flask-like structures that produce the kidney-bean-shaped spores.