Slime molds are fascinating organisms, and this visually fantastic yellow Fuligo septica, aka Fuligo cristata, caught my attention.They are misnamed because they are not fungi, but a massive colony of amoebas that form a collective, multinucleate, blob-like colony called a plasmodium. Known as the 'vomited scrambled egg fungus' or 'dog vomit slime mold', they are bright yellow and then blacken as they sporulate. Satellite colonies can appear nearby. They are not poisonous to animals or toxic to plants. They feast on wood and bacteria. As far as I know, these slime molds remain largely unexplored pharmacologically. Decades ago, some antimicrobial activity was reported, but this group remains largely unexplored. What hidden compounds might they produce, and what properties could be waiting to be discovered? Frankly, it is great to gross out kids (and some adults!), who seem to love poking sticks into it. I’d encourage researchers take a closer look. Who’s up for the challenge?
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