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Rhizopus stolonifer, or more commonly known as black bread mold, is more interesting than you might first think. It is a type of fungus best known for its characteristic appearance on bread, but it also has medical applications. It is an ingredient found in common birth control pills as it can transform certain steroids, like progesterone, due to a hydroxylating enzyme complex on its plasma membrane. This mold is the fastest growing in its phylum and a key player in the carbon cycle.