Naetrocymbe

Naetrocymbe is a genus of about 20 species of fungi belonging to the family Naetrocymbaceae. These fungi typically live embedded in the bark of smooth-trunked trees and are barely visible except for tiny dark dots that contain their spores. Most species function primarily as bark-dwelling fungi, with only some forming casual partnerships with algae to create lichens. The genus was established in 1865 by Gustav Wilhelm Körber, with the name derived from Greek words meaning 'spindle' and 'boat' in reference to the characteristic spore shape. These fungi reproduce through flask-shaped structures that appear as tiny dark dots on tree bark, often capped with a small dark 'roof' of compacted fungal material.