Elaeomyxa cerifera
by Sarah Lloyd
Elaeomyxa cerifera: wax-producing oily slime
In 2010 an extremely distinctive slime mould appeared regularly on bryophyte covered logs at Black Sugarloaf, central north Tasmania. The sporophores are white with a yellow waxy 'collar' when they first appeared (see pix above) - some specimens have a pinkish tinge. As they mature the white section becomes darker with the yellow collar still visible.
The peridium on the fully mature specimens is thin, transparent and iridescent. It splits into sepal-like pennants to expose the spores.
Stephenson and Stempen say it is 'apparently very rare' (1994, p.79). Martin and Alexopoulos (1969, p.175) say the waxy collar is found only in Japanese collections.
Internet search reveals that Heino Lepp had recorded this species near Moyura, NSW in 1990 and that this was the first record in the Southern Hemisphere (McHugh et al., 2009). There is another record of the same species growing in moss near Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria, in August 2008.
References
- McHugh R, Mitchell DW, Brims MH, Stephenson SL (2009) 'New Additions
to Myxomycetes in Australia'. Australasian Mycologist 28:
56-64
- Martin GW, Alexopoulos CJ (1969) The Myxomycetes,
University of Iowa Press, Iowa
- Stephenson SL, & Stempen H (1994) Myxomycetes: a handbook of
slime molds. Timber Press, Portland
Web
- Discover Life
 1. immature specimens with the pink tinge |
 2. darkening sporophores |
 3. iridescent peridium before splitting |
 4. mature specimens with split peridium. |
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