Slime mold that looks like a moss flower

 The rainy season has ended much earlier than usual this year, resulting in continuous sunny weather that was unfavorable to the development of slime molds. So, I was almost giving up looking for slime molds in the forest. 

However, it had rained for about two days for the first time in a while, so I thought this was the chance to observe slime molds. As soon as I thought of it, I went to the forest where I usually examine. In fact, I had already placed many decaying wood logs there so that slime molds can propagate on them. They are, so to speak, like nurseries of slime molds.

Actually, several species of slime molds were growing on the decaying wood logs, but I will report on them at another time. Then, I remembered a small, damp area nearby where spring water flowed in. I went there and found several wet, decayed logs covered in moss. I also found two often seen slime molds on them, and when I was just getting ready to leave for home, I noticed the strange sight, it looked as if flowers were blooming on the moss. Although the moss does not bloom as you know.

At first, I thought they were small Ascomycete fungi that we often confused with slime molds. Following photos are close-up of these creatures.

Now you understand, don't you?　They are fruiting bodies of slime molds freshly formed. I think they are Physarum globuliferum. Its Japanese name is Shirojiku-moji-hokori named after the fact that they have white stalks. 

Why did they form fruiting bodies on the moss?  I think the amoebas of the slime molds had been spreading on the surface of the decaying logs, but we did not notice them because they were covered in moss. 

Generally, the amoebas of slime molds have characteristic to crawl up to a higher position when they begin to form fruiting bodies. The moss just happened to be there at that time, so slime molds climbed up the stems and leaves of moss, resulting in the formation of fruiting bodies on the moss.

I photographed them on July 19th, 2025, using Olympus digital camera TG-6.