ID please

SusieBee · #1 (**permalink**) 14-09-2009, 01:28 AM

Went out for a lovely walk today, on a mission to find & photograph some fungi? All I found was this

Again not a great shot, but hope someone can id what is my first fungi find!
If that's what it is?

I did have a quick look through Fungi Gallery, closest I could find was White Slime Mold?
Cheers Susiebee

Ditiola · #2 (**permalink**) 14-09-2009, 04:28 PM

Hi Susiebee
I think it probably is a slime mould: They are not strictly fungi as they have many features closer to the animal kingdom, for example the have spores that swim with a flagella. They exist for most of there lifespan as a mass of protoplasm that rhythmically pulsates moving the organism over the substrate to feed on algae and bacteria etc. This protoplasmic slime is often white but sometimes can be coloured. In your photo you can just make out some spherical swellings. This will be the early stage of fructification, a miraculous transformation from the slime to a spore bearing fruit body. If you take a slime mould home and keep it in a warm humid environment it will transform before your very eyes (well over a few days anyway) I think It must be done by Magic!

Peter

Peter