Chocolate Tube Slime Mold
This species is found on every continent except Antarctica, making it one of the most common of all slime molds. It is quite unmistakable and usually found on decaying hardwood or duff. The Plasmodium phase consists of a thin layer of clear to milky slime that moves slowly across its substrate feeding on bacteria and other tiny species or bits of organic matter. It is single-celled organism formed by the fusion of thousands of individual amoebae. When conditions are right the plasmodium forms sporangia, which is what is depicted in the photo. These are spore-forming reproductive structures that resemble thousands of chocolate threads about 1-2 cm tall, supported by a stalk that is about 3-5mm anchored to the substrate. When sporulation is complete these wither back to dust again. When the spores germinate each forms a new amoeba. Masses of sporangia can be up to a foot or so across.