Mystery Black Globes in Alaska: Slime Mold ID Requires Microscopy

Not a Typical Physarum

The delicate, oily black globes that liquefied on touch, found away from grass or mulch in Anchorage, don’t match the common Physarum slime molds seen on lawns. Accurate identification requires microscopic examination of the fruiting bodies (sporangia) to determine their morphology.

What to Do

If you need a definitive ID, preserve a specimen in a small vial with a bit of damp paper and send it to a university plant pathology lab or extension service. For most gardeners, these transient slime molds are a curiosity, not a plant health threat.