Human interactions with fungi the weather, and in the case of dry rot caused by "Serpula lacrymans", also of timbers in largely dry houses. Some wood-decay fungi such as the honey fungi, species of "Armillaria", are parasites of living trees, attacking their roots and eventually killing them, and continuing to decompose the wood when they are dead. Honey fungus is a serious horticultural pest, as it can spread from tree to tree by long strap-shaped rhizomorphs in the soil. Fungi are important crop pathogens, as they reproduce rapidly, affect a wide range of crops around the world, cause some 85% of plant diseases, and
Atromentic acid compound to p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and oxalic acid. Atromentic acid Atromentic acid is a red-organge pigment found in fungi within the Boletales group. It is the precusor to variegatic acid and xerocomic acid, and is preceded by atromentin. As an example, it is isolated from "Serpula lacrymans". It is soluble in methanol. Variants include homoatromentic acid. This pigment has been studied and elucidated by Wolfgang Steglich and colleagues over decades . When atromentin is oxidised with hydrogen peroxide a yellow product is produced. A sodium hydroxide solution is also yellow, but when this is neutralized with acid the red atromentic acid