Organisms of the Gila Wilderness

The aethalium is the fruiting body of the plasmodial slime molds-- there may be several per plasmodium. The spores are contained within the aethalium, as are fibers known as a pseudocapillitium. Lycogala epindendrum is one of our most common slime molds and is usually found on moist decaying wood.
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Lycogala epidendrum, aethalium on rotting wood, photo Russ Kleinman, McMillan Campground trail, June 30, 2022