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Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. fruticulosa; Coral Slime Mold   

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Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. fruticulosa
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. fruticulosa
Coral Slime Mold
Photographer: Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

ID: 0000 0000 0716 2344 (2016-07-15)

Copyright © 2016 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

 
INFORMATION PROVIDED WITH THE PHOTO
  • date of photo  Jul 9, 2016
  • latitude 46.35258   longitude 13.69529     View on Google Maps.
  • location   Lower Trenta valley, between villages Soča and Trenta, left bank of river Soča, upstream from Trenta 46 house, East Julian Alps (Posočje, Slovenia)
  • notes   Slo.: paličasta hladetinka, rogata sluzavka - syn.: Byssus fruticulosa Müll. - Habitat: Fagus sylvatica forest with some Picea abies; moderately inclined slope at the foot of a mountain, northwest aspect; calcareous, skeletal forest ground; in shade; next to a river, humid air conditions; partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies; average precipitation ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7 - 9 deg C, elevation 525 m (1.720 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: almost totally rotten tree stump; probably Fagus sylvatica, possibly Picea abies. Comment: Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. fruticulosa is one of the most distinctive and wide-spread myxomycetes (nowadays Protosteliomycetes). It is easy to recognize it since nothing similar exists outside tropical regions. Because of its bright white color, it is also easy to spot. Its genus name Ceratiomyxa comes from Greek words keras and myxa. The first means horn(s) and the second slime. And indeed it consists (in most cases) of many erects columns made of slimy substance. Unlike of all other myxomycetes the columns bear individual spores externally, on long stalks (see picture 2b, middle-left). However, it can appear also in a much different form, which is treated by some authors as separate species Ceratiomyxa poroides Alb. & Schwein or a subspecies of Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa. Then it looks like spongy, poroid or effused crust, much similar to some poroid basidiomycetes. The plasmodium of Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa is watery translucent (see picture 2a, slime among developed columns). It initially forms whitish blobs (see picture 1b, upper part), which in mature stage develop into simple or sparsely branched columns covered by stalked, white spores looking similar to glandular hairs of higher plants. Ref.: (1) B. Ing, The Myxomycetes of Britain and Ireland, The Richmond Publ. Co.Ltd, (1999), p 25. (2) S.L.Stephenson and H.Stempen, Myxomycetes, Timber Press Inc.(2000), p 93. (3) M. Poulain, M. Meyer, J. Borronet, Les Myxomycetes, FMBDS (2011), Vol.1., p 297.
  • camera   Nikon D700/Nikkor Micro 105mm/f2.8
  • contributor's ID #  Bot_986/2016_DSC3646
  • photo category: Fungi - mold

  • MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FUNGUS
  • common names   Coral Slime Mold (photographer)
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    Using this photo   The thumbnail photo (128x192 pixels) on this page may be freely used for personal or academic purposes without prior permission under the Fair Use provisions of US copyright law as long as the photo is clearly credited with © 2016 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy. For other uses, or if you have questions, contact Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy amadej.trnkoczy[AT]siol.net. (Replace the [AT] with the @ symbol before sending an email.)


     

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