Identification: white ball with roots?

[lkctrygal]

I found the most unusual thing in my composted wood chips today. There were serveral white balls, about golf ball sized, with roots growing from them. The top white layer was slimy when peeled back to find a yellow brainy looking thing. We sliced it in half and found a bunch more layers of different colors & textures. Does anyone know what this is? My husband dumped them in the compost pile but I think I'll go see if I can find them & take a picture to post.

Regards,
Kris from Minnesota

[Daniel Mosquin]

Well, I hope you post your pics, but my first impression is that you should check out this thread (check pic number 2 first)

[lkctrygal]

Thanks for the quick reply. The root ball looks very similar to those in the picture although the inside did look a bit different. There was definately slime but no odor. I have not had the opportunity to see them "bloom". We are having a very long fall in Minnesota this year but I would imagine these things will not present themselves until next year. There were tiny white roots all through the wood chips. So many that I hesitated to put them around my apple tree. Do you think they are harmful to trees or perennials?

Regards,
Kris from MN

[Daniel Mosquin]

I doubt that they'd be harmful. Breaking off the "roots" (actually the mycelia in fungal terminology) will likely prevent the fungus from fruiting / releasing spores, and I suspect they will just decay in your compost pile. Had they been left alone, I suspect they would have grown into their reproductive phase this year.