Physarum lateritium
(Berk. & Ravenel) Morgan
Description:
SPOROCARPS: gregarious, rarely clustered, sessile, subglobose, 0.3 to 0.7 mm. diam., or forming short terete plasmodiocarps, rarely branched or netted, scarlet or orange-red.

STALK: absent.

PERIDIUM: outer crust of compacted scarlet or yellow lime-granules, lightly affixed, separating and breaking away in flakes from the inner, membranous wall.

CAPILLITIUM: a network of slender, colorless or pale yellow threads, with rounded lime nodes, orange or yellowish, usually with red centers.

SPORES: Pale brownish lilac, 7-9 µm in diameter; almost smooth.

PLASMODIUM:
Orange-yellow.
HABITAT: On dead wood and leaves.

DISTRIBUTION: Cosmopolitan, known from Auckland and Southland.
Macro images:
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Scale= 0.6 mm.
 
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Scale= 0.6 mm.
 
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Scale= 0.9 mm.
 
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Scale= 0.7 mm.
 
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Scale= 0.6 mm.
Micro images:
Physarum lateritium
Scale bar
Magnification = 1000x
 
Hidden Forest
Slime Moulds