Slime Mould

Slime mould Fuligo septica.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2010-07-24.

Another Slime Mould

Fuligo septica growing on the side of a decaying log.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-06-01.

Slime Mould

The filamentous form of Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa growing on a decaying log.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-06-01.

Slime Mold

A dark red slime mould, probably Arcyria denudata.  Arcyria incarnata is similar but the sporangia are much fuzzier when they have burst.

I took a specimen home with me:

Under the microscope the spores are about 6 x 5.5um (magnification x600, field width 86um):

The capillitium is rough and thick and has loops (also magnification x600, field width 86um):

First photo and specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-12-24.

Slime Mould

Sporangia of a slime mould, probably Trichia decipiens, growing on a decaying log.

I took the following specimen to look at at home:

I squashed one of the sporangia onto a microscope slide but was unable to find any spores so I left the sample to mature. 

After a couple of days the sporangia had turned a dark olive green:

 

Under the microscope they yielded the following spores (x600):

The field width is about 86um so the spores are about 10 x 11um.

Also present were the long tapered elaters characteristic of Trichia decipiens:

First photo and specimen taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-12-18.