Eukaryota > Amoebozoa > Myxogastria > Liceales > Family Tubiferaceae.
It is sometimes seen under Order Liceales > Family Reticulariaceae.
The Pink and brown slime moulds are found on decaying wood.
They occur as scattered solitary ones or in clusters.
The reddish plasmodial (feeding) stage is rarely seen.
In the reproductive stage the plasmodium changes into a mass of fruiting bodies.
The densely packed fruiting bodies form an aethalium.
Aethalia are spherical structures up to 12 mm high and 15 mm wide.
The fruiting bodies in it make the surface slightly nodular.
When mature the spores are released through all the apical pores.
The surface of the aethaelia develops a scaly appearance.
The bright red or pink young aethalia age to greyish then dark brown.
When young the interior is filled with a pinkish paste.
Lying in this paste are branching fibre-like tubes (pseudocapillitia).
When mature the interior is filled with dry powdery greyish or purplish-grey spores.
At times they can look like puffball mushrooms.
J.F.
