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Wolf's Milk slime mold

Lycogala epidendrum

Description:

Small nodules (4-6 mm), with a dark, magenta color and a finely textured skin. These appeared to grow from cracks along the grain in an old hemlock log.

Habitat:

Very damp environment. These fruiting bodies emerged from an old hemlock log that was rotting alongside of a small, rapid stream in a narrow ravine with little direct sunlight. Central Appalachian Mountains.

Notes:

Although these appear to be a fungus, they are actually a slime mold. The berry-like nodules are the fruiting bodies formed from an aggregation of plasmodial, single-celled organisms. The fruiting bodies turn darker brown with age. Also called Groening's slime or toothpaste slime.

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Doren B
Spotted by
Doren B

West Virginia, USA

Spotted on Sep 27, 2014
Submitted on Nov 24, 2014

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