Reticularia intermedia Nann.-Bremek.

Reticularia intermedia  Nann.-Bremek.

Friday, 18 May 2018

This small group of aethalia of an uncommon slime mould was found in Faskally Forest, Perthshire, Scotland, on the 8th May 2018, emerging from the sawn end of a conifer log. The hypothallus was clearly visible as a white ring around the base of each aethalium.

A further aethalium was found was found growing on a mossy log at the Birks of Aberfeldy, Scotland, on 9th May 2018. 

The largest aethalium was about 25mm in diameter, the cortex was reddish-brown and flaking. The cocoa-brown spores were free, 7-7.5 µm Ø, and pale in transmitted light. The pseudo-capillitium consisted of a mass of slender branched threads 4-5 µm Ø.

This aethalium was home to a number of small beetles, Anisotoma humeralis , which emerged as I was examining the aethalium.

This species is large enough to be mistaken for  Reticularia lycoperdon at first sight, but the branching filamentous capillitium is distinctive, and the spores are free, not clustered.