Dog Stinkhorn

Description:

Mutinus caninus. fungus colour: Brown, Orange normal size: Less than 5cm cap type: conic stem type: Volva on stem flesh: Mushroom has distinct or odd smell (non mushroomy), Mushroom slimy or sticky spore colour: Light to dark brown habitat: Grows in woods, Grows on the ground Mutinus caninus (Pers.) Fr. Dog Stinkhorn, Phallus de Chien, Satyre des cheins, Hundsrute, Kφzφnsιges kutyaszφmφrcsφg, Fallo canino, mutino canino, Kliene Stinkzwam, Kutyaszφmφrcsφg. Fruit body initially a semi-submerged eggs as in Phallus impudicus but much smaller, 1x2cm across and more cylindric in shape, whitish-yellow, finally rupturing when the hollow pitted receptacle extends. Stem 10x12cm high, pale yellow-buff to bright orange, surmounted by the narrow conical orange-red head covered in dark olive slime which contains the spores and has a very slight sickly smell. Spores pale yellow, oblong, 4x5 x 1.5x2΅.

Habitat:

Habitat in leaf litter in woods. Season summer to late autumn. Occasional. Not edible. Distribution, America and Europe.

Notes:

The dog stinkhorn is probably edible at the ‘egg’ stage, but it is not recommended. At least one report from in the eastern United States strongly recommends the 'eggs' peeled and fried as a tasty dish.