Saprotrophic fungi break down wood with the enzymes at the tips of their mycelial webs and absorb the released nutrients to feed and expand itself further. Some saprotrophic fungi also act as parasites on living wood. They break down the wood in a tree but give nothing in return. Once the tree is dead, they act as saprobes. The following is a list of genera that survive mainly by breaking down wood.
Abortiporus, Agrocybe, Annulohypoxylon, Antrodia, Apioperdon, Armillaria, Auricularia, Baeospora, Bresadolia, Bjerkandera, Brunneoporus, Byssomerulius, Cerioporia, Cerioporus, Cerrena, Cheimonophyllum, Chondostereum, Chrysomphalina, Climacocystis, Climacodon, Clitocybula, Coprinellus, Coprinopsis, Coprinus, Crinipellis, Cryptoporus, Cyptotrama, Cystostereum, Dacrymyces, Daedalea, Daedaleopsis, Daldinia, Datroniella, Exidia, Fibroporia, Fomes, Fomitopsis, Fulvifomes, Fuscoporia, Fuscopostia, Galerina, Ganoderma, Gerronema, Gelaoporia, Globifomes, Gloeophyllum, Gloeoporus, Grifola, Gymnopilus, Gymnopus, Hapalopilus, Helicogloea, Hydnoporia, Hymenochaete, Hymenopellis, Hypholoma, Hypsizygus, Inonotus, Irpex, Ischnoderma, Kretzschmaria, Lachrymaria, Laetiporus, Lentinus, Lenzites, Leucopholiota, Marasmius, Megacollybia, Meripilus, Mycena, Mycorrhaphium, Myxarum, Neoantrodia, Neofavolus, Neolentinus, Omphalotus, Onnia, Ossicaulis, Panellus, Panus, Perenniporia, Phaeolus, Phaeotrella, Phellinus, Phlebia, Phlebiopsis, Phyllotopsis, Physisporinus, Picipes, Pleurotus, Pleurocybella, Plicaturopsis, Pluteus, Polyporus, Porodaedalea, Poronidulus, Postia, Psathyrella, Pseudoinonotus, Punctularia, Pycnoporellus, Radulomyces, Resupinatus, Rhodofomes, Sarcodontia, Schizophyllum, Sparassis, Spongiopellis, Steccherinum, Stereum, Stropharia, Tapinella, Terana, Trametes, Trametopsis, Trichaptum, Tricholomopsis, Tyromyces, Volvariella, Xanthoporia, Xenasmatella, Wolfoporia