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RE: The Amateur Mycologist #35 - Update - Likely Licea variabilis Slimemold! Morphological Transformation Caught On Time Lapse - In Depth Analysis
Interesting. I know little about fungi but I thought that most of them are extant for a very limited time (2 weeks at the most). In the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles were I was born, I would see only two varieties: a slimy brownish colored mold specimen that grew on decayed trees and a white mushroom with a white cap with brown streaks on it; the latter seemed to go away as soon as it appeared.
There's a fair amount of variety in terms of how long the fruiting body lasts - many more conventional looking fungi only last a short time, some only a few days. Some Corprinus species are famous for literally melting into black ooze just a few days after first appearing. Other gilled mushrooms take longer to entirely disappear - while some woody polypores can last, in some form or another, for multiple seasons.
In terms of these little guys there just isn't a lot to disturb them except me and other microorganisms on the piece of bark. In nature rain, wind, snow and other animald would play a role in eliminating signs of the fungal growth. Now I don't know yet how this particular species even spreads it spores - so it could be it disappears as a result of its own physiology in the coming days. Time may tell.
Very interesting really. I always like your posts if I see them.
Further research revealed this probably IS a slime mold! So, from my perspective, that's even more exciting!