Chocolate tube slime mold (Stemonitis axifera)

This pile of stringy chocolate is the best one I have found.
It was about 25cm square, really densley packed, and on the shaded side of a large gum tree.
Found in a tiny nature reserve in rainforest.
I suspect Stemonitis axifera but species level ID really requires microscope work.
Another possibility is S fusca.

comments (4)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

A close cousin:
http://www.jungledragon.com/specie/3278/chocolate_tube_slime_mold.html Posted 9 years ago
1. Mark Ridgway
  
  Lion
  
  Yes it might even be the same Ferdy. I'm wary of putting sp. name without knowing for sure. There aren't that many slime molds in total... only about 800 I think. Posted 9 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Looks like you found it after all? That's great! Posted 9 years ago
  2. 1. Mark Ridgway
      
      Lion
      
      I had to read several original descriptions carefully and compare to what occurs most commonly here.
      Still not 100% sure but that's often the case I guess. Posted 9 years ago

The Stemonitis axifera

''Stemonitis axifera'' is a species of slime mold. It fruits in clusters on dead wood, and has distinctive tall reddish-brown sporangia, supported on slender stalks.

Info 3 0

Similar species: Stemonitales

Species identified by Mark Ridgway