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 Physarum serpula
BiostatusPresent in region - Indigenous. Non endemic
Article: Stephenson, S.L. (2003). Myxomycetes of New Zealand. Fungi of New Zealand. Ngā Harore o Aotearoa 3: xiv + 238 p. Hong Kong: Fungal Diversity Press.
Description: Fruiting body a plasmodiocarp (or sometimes sporangiate), scattered to crowded, forming lines, rings, or a simple reticulum, the individual fruiting bodies terete, 0.2–0.4 mm in diameter. Hypothallus membranous, colourless, usually scanty and often inconspicuous. Peridium consisting of a single layer (but sometimes appearing to consist of two layers when strongly calcareous), membranous, fragile, covered with a dense, uniform crust consisting of closely compacted lime granules, bright or dull yellow to ochraceous, dehiscence irregular. Capillitium dense, consisting of large, angular, branching, pale yellow to white lime nodes connected by short, hyaline threads, the latter sometimes rather broad, the capillitium then appearing somewhat badhamioid. Spores globose, dull black in mass, dark brown by transmitted light, minutely warted, with a paler and smoother area on one side, 10–13 µm in diameter. Plasmodium at maturity greenish yellow.
Habitat: Decaying wood and bark, dead leaves, and other types of plant debris.
Distribution: Known to occur in North America (Martin & Alexopoulos 1969) and South America (Farr 1976). Reported from New Zealand by Mitchell (1992), based on a specimen collected in Auckland.
Notes: This species is rather similar morphologically to Physarum decipiens, and there is little doubt that the two species have been confused with each other (Farr 1961). However, P. serpula usually can be distinguished on the basis of having a more strongly calcareous peridium. Neither species appears to be particularly common.
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