Fungus on sphere, Nimbokrang, Papua

My guess is that this is a fruit infected by a particular fungus.

comments (9)

Ruth Spigelman

Lion

Super macro Ferdy. What a curious wee thing whatever it is. Highly intriguing and simultaneously delightful. Posted one year ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks so much :) Posted one year ago

Christine Young

Lion

This is a great mystery!

My thoughts are:

1. It could be a fruit infected with fungus, as you suggested.
2. It could be a seed pod infected with fungus.
3. It could be some kind of cordyceps? Although, I have never seen one that forms a round ball.
4. It might just be a fungus growing on a branch. Elmerina and Protohydnum are spiky fungi, but I can't find any examples that form round balls.

I vote for options #1 or #2 because it looks like there are fungal hyphae on the branch. It might be something in the orders Auriculariales or Hypocreales. Posted one year ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Thank you, I was hoping you would chip in! Posted one year ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    You're welcome! It was fun searching for the ID. Maybe someone will come along who will know what it is. Or, you could try posting it on MO or to a FB group? Posted one year ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      That's a good idea. Posted it in a FB Cordyceps group, let's await what they say. Posted one year ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        I just saw the size that you noted on the FB post. Maybe it is a fruit, like Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan), that is covered in powdery mildew/some kind of fungus? Posted one year ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        That's an ingenious solution, we actually did see that fruit during the trip. Posted one year ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        I'm so curious about this! Posted one year ago

No species identified

The species on this photo is not identified yet. When signed in, you can identify species on photos that you uploaded. If you have earned the social image editing capability, you can also identify species on photos uploaded by others.