Clathrus archeri - Devil's Fingers

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Phallales

Clathrus archeri (pictures left and below are courtesy Andrew Ward) is a striking species and reached Europe from Australia or New Zealand at the start of World War I (1914).

Like the common stinkhorn and the dog stinkhorn, this fungus emerges from a partly buried white ball.Devil's Fingers is a rare find in Britain, and the only species with which it is likely to be confused is Clathrus ruber, the Red Cage or Lattice Fungus, which is also rare.

Clathrus archeri - more of a side-on view of the arching arms

This remarkable fungus is sometimes referred to as the Devil's Fingers, and in parts of the USA it is sometimes referred to as the Octopus Fungus; as global warming advances this species may become more common in Britain, and it will be interesting to see which (if any) of these common names is most generally adopted.

One thing is for sure: its appearance and its awful smell guarantee that it will not go unnoticed for long!

Identification Guide

Description	A large, starfish-like fruitbody whose 4 to 6 (exceptionally 8) arched red arms are coated with a smelly gleba on the upper surface. The bright red colour makes this remarkable species very easy to identify; however, it is a relatively rare find in Britain and mainly found in the south of England and in the Channel Islands.
Dimensions	The ball before rupturing is typically 2 to 3cm in diameter, and the mature fruitbody is typically 20cm across with arms arching to 10cm in height.
Other features	The arms emerge vertically and spread out making the gleba accessible to insects; it is by this means that the spores are distributed.
Stem	None.
Spores	Olive-brown.
Odour/taste	Strong, unpleasant odour reminescent of rotting meat; no distinctive taste.
Habitat	Mainly found in leaf litter under trees and shrubs; also on bark mulch in parks and gardens.
Season	June to September.
Occurrence	Rare in southern mainland Britain but now quite common in the Channel Islands.
Similar species	Unlikely to mistaken for any other species.