Cribraria argillacea | Hainault Forest

Lead Shot Slime Mould

Cribraria argillacea

TQ4791 14/09/2022 ©Raymond Small

Looks similar to lead shot and is normally associated with conifers. This was found on a decorticated pine trunk on Hog Hill in Hainault Forest. The characteristic lead shot appearance of the freshly formed plasmodium, the reduced peridial net, together with shortish stalk and large fruit-body makes this species fairly easy to identify. The dark stalks are seldom more than 1mm high. It turns clay-brown before breaking up to release spores.

TQ4791 14/09/2022 ©Raymond Small

TQ4791 17/09/2022 ©Raymond Small

This slime mould is sometimes affected by Stilbella byssiseda, a white fungal infection with white thread-like growths. Thank you to Brian Ecott and Professor Bruce Ing for helping with the identification and verification of this record.