Dog stinkhorn

Description:

Typically 8 to 15 cm tall, the stipe diameter is 0.5 to 1 cm. The cap is honeycombed beneath the gleba, a shiny, sticky, smelly coating that contains the spores. Once insects have consumed the dark olive gleba, the tip of the fungus turns orange and then the whole fruitbody decays rapidly, there is usually nothing left within three or four days. The volva-like remains of the egg often appear above the ground once the fruitbody is fully developed. The white stipe has a texture and appearance of expanded polystyrene and is barely strong enough to support the small head.

Habitat:

Mutinus caninus is saprobic. It can be found growing in small groups and sometimes in fairy rings, most often in coniferous forests and close to rotting stumps or other sources of well-rotted timber. These fungi sometimes fruit on damp old woodchip mulch in parks and gardens.

Notes:

Spotted in Nieuwe Rande Forest in rural area of Deventer, Holland. (sources:see reference)