Speedy Pilobolus

[Fungus]

Although not all the information is correct, I like to share this footage of the acceleration of the sporangium (not spores) of a Pilobolus species. Underneath the black sporangium, which contains the spores, the top of the flask-shaped FB's have a lense, which lets through sunlight causing the fluid inside the "flask" to heat up, expand and explode and shoot the sporangium up to two meters away. The long stalked FB's are capable of moving the top in the direction of the sun in order to let the light pass the lense at the right angle.

Photo : Pilobolus crystallinus.

---