Slime-Mould

Back to nature.  Giving you a break from my recent abstracts.

A year or two ago, I found the dog's vomit slime-mould in my garden (not blipped at that time), so when I found this, I knew it was a slime-mould, but not the same one.

Google tells me this is the false puffball, Reticularia lycoperdon.  It is in its earliest stage of development before it more closely resembles a small puffball.

This one was about 3 cm diameter and hemispherical.  I found it on a half-burnt/charred tree stump beside the boats at a local harbour.

Slime-moulds are not animals, nor plants, nor fungi. They are classified as aliens protists.

Slime-moulds are very interesting (to me at least) and well worth Googling for more info.