Identification: Mold identification??

I found this mostly buried in leaves on the ground. Initially though it was a chunk of rotting moose fur/skin until we picked it up and it didn’t have a “skin”. I don’t think it’s a stemonitis or phycomyces based on google searching for images, nothing looked quite right. The “fur” parts have no chocolate tubes on them, and they are too thick. I think it may have been growing out of an extremely rotten chunk of wood? Help!

 

You are absolutely certain this is something organic? This looks so much like plastic from a brush to me. The moss growing through the threads suggests it has been in place for some time -- longer than I would expect anything organic to persist.

 

It was found near an old logging camp, like 60+ years old, but they seemed to be organic. It was brittle, if it was some kind of fungus or mold it was probably in the decaying state.

 

Almost all fungi (including molds) have a "grow fast, decay fast" rhythm to their fruiting bodies. There just isn't any purpose to investment in long-term structures.

 

If it is organic, not just degrading plastic, two things that resemble this are;
- last year's Stemonitis stipes ... which are much smaller, and
- some Xylaria/Hypoxylon sorts of fungi. Use a handlens to check the surface to see if you see any tiny wee pimple like structures across the surface especially the terminal parts.

 

I will take macro photos next time I’m there. Might be a few weeks though. I will post when I have them