Don't blame me for it ! :-)) by iaacf

Photography • Flowers/Plants • posted on Sep 20, 2006

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Description

This is a Common Stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus). It's smell really is disgusting.. and it's shapes.. well,I will leave it to your fantasy what you think of it.. From Wikipedia: Stinkhorns are a type of fungi which produce a foul-scented, rod-shaped mushroom. They belong to the order Phallales. Their method of reproduction is different than most mushrooms, which use the air to spread their spores. Stinkhorns instead produce a sticky spore mass on their tip which has an odor of carrion, dung, or other things that attract flies. The flies land on the stinkhorn and in doing so collect the spore mass on their legs and carry it to other locations. These fungi are theoretically edible, but few people have the urge to consume such small, foul-smelling mushrooms. However, after frying in oil they have a fishy taste. Stinkhorns develop from round structures called 'eggs', which do not stink. They can be seen in the photograph of Mutinus elegans and also in the following photo which shows one cut in half. You can see the whole mature fruiting body compressed into the 'egg' and ready to expand into its adult state.

Comments (10)

MrsLubner

11:11AM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Oh, smell or not I'd love to have these in my area. How wonderful and what a discovery. Nice job of capturing it.

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Steak

11:38AM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Could this be where Viagra comes from lol. I agree they smell gross. But now they all don't look like Salma Hayek just walked by on her way to the shower. Great catch and eye.

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Zacko

12:00PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Well well well....showing your true colors i see. LOL. So thats why some people can spend entire days out in the woods looking for mushrooms. #:oP

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inshaala

12:02PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

blame you for what? looks innocent Cool shot of something i have never seen before or knew existed. interesting to read about it, thanks for sharing :)

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Hedepo

1:20PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Een beetje lullig dat deze dingen zo stinken!! but a very nice capture of this species, and the special structure, which they have, so very well visible!!. Excellent shot! I haven't seen them yet this year, but last year there were quite a few in our area, often with one or two flies (I'm not joking!!!) Have a nice evening, Henk

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TwoPynts

2:44PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Thanks for that. I think I will avoid eating this particular fungi. The shape and "fishy taste" just don't appeal. ;o)

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marybelgium

2:46PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

great find and shot !!!

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Cosme..D..Churruca

3:03PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

Is it like this ? So disgusting... now I understand its name. Excellent photo !

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busi2ness

3:05PM | Wed, 20 September 2006

I love the POV and you have a great way of coveying the beauty and wonder in nature, although not always appealing to man's senses. Humans deal double standards all the time, we frown upon this but we do eat pork, don't we, LOL?

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