Sharing a little Stinkhorn!
September 25, 2017
Two flies are sharing a the stinky slime of an elegant stinkhorn mushroom. It may be a "dog stinkhorn," but I can't be sure.
This odd mushroom showed up in our front yard the other day, and continues to "sprout" new growth every morning (This is day 3).
We didn't know what it was, but it really, REALLY smelled bad... like a rotting dead animal. Web research pretty clearly points to it being some kind of a "Mutinus" fungi. My guess is "elegans." or caninus, and I'd love some ID help from any of you mushroom experts out there!
It has some really wonderful common names, such as "devil's dipstick," "elegant stinkhorn," "dog stinkhorn," "headless stinkhorn, and (This one made me laugh), "shitty carrot."
The reason for the smell is to attract flies. The flies land on the oozing stinky brown slime and to feed on it, thinking it's carrion. In turn, the flies unknowingly transport the fungus' spores from place to place.
7DWF - Time to Share!
EXPLORED: September 25, 2017
304 | 329 | D1 1145
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Sharing a little Stinkhorn!
September 25, 2017
Two flies are sharing a the stinky slime of an elegant stinkhorn mushroom. It may be a "dog stinkhorn," but I can't be sure.
This odd mushroom showed up in our front yard the other day, and continues to "sprout" new growth every morning (This is day 3).
We didn't know what it was, but it really, REALLY smelled bad... like a rotting dead animal. Web research pretty clearly points to it being some kind of a "Mutinus" fungi. My guess is "elegans." or caninus, and I'd love some ID help from any of you mushroom experts out there!
It has some really wonderful common names, such as "devil's dipstick," "elegant stinkhorn," "dog stinkhorn," "headless stinkhorn, and (This one made me laugh), "shitty carrot."
The reason for the smell is to attract flies. The flies land on the oozing stinky brown slime and to feed on it, thinking it's carrion. In turn, the flies unknowingly transport the fungus' spores from place to place.
7DWF - Time to Share!
EXPLORED: September 25, 2017
304 | 329 | D1 1145
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.