Ceratiomyxa Fruticulosa Var. Poroides

Day 230: Yesterday was a pretty exciting day. Not only did I find two nice colonies of the common slime mold Lycogala epidendrum (tomorrow's post), but I found one totally unfamiliar to me: Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. poroides. I have a slime mold expert to thank for the identification, a bit to my embarrassment because when I posted an earlier photo to a slime-mold identification group and identified it as Lycogala, I was referring to the single orange blob in a sea of white, dismissing the second larger organism as a phase of Lycogala. He "corrected" me, later admitting that he hadn't even noticed the orange blob. In any event, we got it sorted out and I am happy to present Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. poroides in all its beautiful glory. Had I not been prowling in a trailless section of forest at this specific point in time, i.e., had I come a day earlier or later, I could not have witnesses this plasmodial phase which lasts roughly 24 hours.

Fuligo Septica

Day 360: Despite a rather abrupt passage from warm summer to chilly autumn, the slime molds were out in force this last week. Maybe the change in the weather caught them with their plasmodial pants down, or maybe they've altered their plans for world domination to include winter assaults, but in any event, I was thoroughly surprised to find not one but three different species out and about in the woods. They're normally at their most active during warm weather. Although they can be difficult to tell apart when in the early stages of development, I feel I can identify this one as Fuligo septica with some assurance because I've seen it at this location before (several times, as a matter of fact). I hope it doesn't feel overly proprietary toward the Chanterelles in the area because I would not wish to get on its bad side.

Networking

Day 275: Unfortunately, I can't give a positive ID on this slime mold, but I believe it to be Leocarpus fragilis in the early stages of its feeding cycle. I base that supposition on two factors: colour, and having observed Leocarpus in the same general area previously; not very scientific, I know, but the best I can do on short notice. At the point when this photo was taken, the plasmodium was in migration toward the food source present on the branch running diagonally across the right side of the image. Recognizing the activity (if not the species), I was more than a little apprehensive about kneeling down on the forest floor beside it. If some fine morning, I get up to find my kitchen engulfed in orange slime mold, I won't question where it came from.