Mysterious black circles in Libourne gardens explained by mycology

Summary

In October 2007, residents of Libourne found strange black circles in their gardens that had appeared overnight. The formations ranged from 5.80 to 10 metres in diameter, with edges about 30 centimetres wide. The gendarmerie and GEIPAN collected samples for analysis. Results from the mycology department of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Toulouse identified an unusual formation of Myxomycetes of the genus Badhamia — organisms midway between the animal and plant kingdoms that resemble fungi.