Classification: | Phylum: Mycetozoa | Class: Myxogastria | Order: Stemonitida | Family: Stemonitidae | Genus: Stemonitis |

When I first examined these brown hair-like structures found growing on rotting wood, I had thought that they were mushrooms. After identifying them as Stemonitis species, I realized that they were slime moulds, which is not a fungus. The brownish, cylindrical top portions (sporangia) are supported by narrow, black stalks. Slime moulds do not form a penetrating and absorptive mass of hyphae in the wood substrate.

Below was another sighting of this slime mould but in a different location from the ones above. The one below appeared to have a much longer sporangia.

Online References: | Fungi Growing on Wood | The Hidden Forest |