Giant realistic Prototaxites like fungi in a hot climate

Question

My planet is very similar to earth around 359 to 299 million years ago. years ago. It’s mostly covered in deserts, jungles, swamps, temperate forests, and their variants.

(The Carboniferous period

The hottest area of my planet is a hot steppe, dry forest, and a few swamps and temperate jungles. With low humidity and high temperature. I was wondering if fungus like Prototaxites could grow in this type of biome. Think a cross between Madagascar and the Australian outback.

If Prototaxites can’t grow in this type of environment or if you know anything about fungi please suggest types of biomes they can grow in and if I can do anything to them to make them suitable.

Answer 1

There is ongoing debate as to exactly how to classify Prototaxites as the evidence suggests that it may be either a true fungus or a symbiotic lichen. This is quite important when we consider this question because fungi are far more sensitive to their growth environment than lichens. A giant lichen similar to Prototaxites probably could survive in the rather hot, dry environment of Australia or Madagascar with minimal competition and few creature to eat it. Lichens are hardy enough that they manage to survive in the McMurdo Dry Valleys Australia is paradisaical by comparison. A giant true fungus would be restricted to wetter areas like forests and swamps where they can be sheltered from heat and direct sunlight and have access to large volumes of the organic matter they depend on for sustenance.