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Physarum serpula Morgan 1896

Scientific name record
Names_Fungi record source
Is NZ relevant
This is the current name
This record has collections
This record has descriptions
This is indigenous
Threat status: Data deficient

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Physarum serpula Morgan, J. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist. 19 29 (1896)
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896

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Indigenous, non-endemic
Present
New Zealand
Political Region

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Morgan
Morgan
1896
29
ICN
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
species
Physarum serpula

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serpula

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Physarum serpula Morgan 1896

PDD 30881
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.
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.
Decaying wood and bark, dead leaves, and other types of plant debris.
Martin & Alexopoulos (1969).
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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Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
Physarum serpula Morgan (1896)
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
Physarum serpula Morgan (1896)
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
Physarum serpula Morgan (1896)
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
Physarum serpula Morgan (1896)
Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
Physarum serpula Morgan (1896)

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Physarum serpula Morgan 1896
New Zealand
Auckland

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1cb19aee-36b9-11d5-9548-00d0592d548c
scientific name
Names_Fungi
8 June 1994
26 November 2001
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