One tiny cluster of bluejay blue pearl-sized growths and one soft pink cluster of the same pearl-like growths in the sawdust on the flat base of a dead tree.

Noticed these tiny pearl-sized bumps on the stump of a tree in our woods. They're so pretty. Are they mushrooms?

#nature #photography #mushrooms #PlasmodialSlime
#StrangeThings

But its scientific name tells a different story. The genus Tubifera comes from Latin roots:
"tubus" = tube
"fera" = bearing

Together, this means “tube-bearing”, referring to the clustered tubular sporangia that define the genus.

#alleypond #plasmodialslime

At 1000x magnification, the spores show evenly spaced warts, no grouping. Another clue for ID!
Nature’s sparkle — inside and out. #microscopy #plasmodialslime