Phallus impudicus - Stinkhorn

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Phallales

Phallus impudicus, the Stinkhorn, emerges from an 'egg' beneath the surface. The cap is initially covered with olive-green 'gleba', a smelly coating that attracts insects which in turn distribute the spores.

If you want to see one of these strange fungi, there is no need to go looking for it. Just follow your nose. Once you have found one, you will never forget the smell, and thereafter you will probably let out an involuntary yell of 'Stinkhorn' whenever you get wind of one!

Identification Guide

	It is fairly easy to find the 'eggs' of this species, because they are usually only partly buried in pine needles or leaf letter and the white skin stands out clearly. Eggs of the common stinkhorn can be found at any time of year, but they usually lie dormant until the summer months.
	Within the egg the fruitbody develops. In this picture the stipe material is in the central column and the gleba, which bears the spores, surrounds it. The honeycomb texture of the cap beneath the gleba is also visible at this stage. If the eggs are gathered early enough, while their contents are white, their contents are edible. Stinkhorns are not much sought after, however, as there are many more attractive edible fungi.
	As soon as the cap emerges from the egg, insects attack it and eat the gleba. Some of the sticky gleba adheres to the legs of the insects, and that is how the spores get carried from one location to another. Note the honeycomb texture of the cap beneath the gleba. To find specimens in pristine conditions, you really need to visit the woods at dawn, before the flies have found any new stinkhorns that have burst from their eggs during the night.
	Description Beneath the sticky olive-green gleba coating, the cap of the Common Stinkhorn has a raised honeycomb structure. This is all that many people ever see of the cap of this fungus because insects very quickly eat the spore-bearing gleba, at the same time getting some of it stuck to their legs so that spores get transported over quite large distances as the insects fly off in search of food elsewhere. Early morning is the best time to look (or sniff) for this very smelly species.
Dimensions	Typically 15 to 25cm tall; stipe diameter 2 to 4cm; cap 2.5 to 5cm across.
Other features	The 'egg' is typically 4 to 8cm in diameter, gradually becoming elongated until it ruptures and the stipe emerges very quickly, bearing the gleba-coated cap aloft. At the egg stage this fungus is edible, but it is not greatly valued as a source of food (except by flies!).
Stem	The white stipe has a texture and appearance of expanded polystyrene; it persists for several days after the gleba has been consumed by insects.
Spores	The slimy gleba, which is dark olive, contains yellow spores.
Odour/taste	A strong, unpleasant odour; no distinctive taste.
Habitat	Found in all kinds of woodland, but particularly common in coniferous forests; invariably near to dead tree stumps or other sources of rotting timber.
Season	June to October.
Occurrence	Very common.
Similar species	Phallus hadriani, the Dune Stinkhorn, has a violet-coloured volva and is on average somewhat shorter; in Britain it is essentially confined to sand dunes.. Mutinus caninus, the Dog Stinkhorn, is much smaller and has a weaker odour; its honeycombed cap surface is orange rather than white beneath the gleba.