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This amazing tropical stinkhorn features a long and elaborate "skirt." In North America, it is found in the southern provinces of Mexico; northward it is replaced by the short-skirted Phallus duplicatus. Readers who have seen the Discovery Channel's Planet Earth series may remember the stunning time-lapse photography sequences of Phallus indusiatus rising from the ground, then gracefully extending its net-like skirt.
Phallus indusiatus is "edible," at least in the egg stage--but I don't recommend experimenting.
Description:
Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously in woods, especially in disturbed-ground areas (ditches, paths, road sides, and so on); also common in urban settings; year-round; distributed in North America from roughly the 24th parallel southward (southern Mexico).
Immature Fruiting Body: Like a whitish brownish or purplish "egg"; when sliced revealing the stinkhorn-to-be encased in a gelatinous substance.
Mature Fruiting Body: Spike-like; to 25 cm high; with a "cap" area that is pitted and ridged, and covered with a slimy, olive-brown substance that eventually wears off (or is carried away by flies), leaving a light brown coloring; usually developing a perforation at the top; with a white stem that arises from a white, sacklike volva; with a laced, white to yellow, orange, or pink "skirt" hanging up to 15 cm from the bottom edge of the cap; odor unpleasant or strongly sweet.
Microscopic Features: Spores 2.5-3.5 x 1-1.5 ยต; long-elliptical to nearly cylindric.
Dictyophora indusiata is a synonym.
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Basidiomycota |
Subdivision: | Agaricomycotina |
Class: | Agaricomycetes |
Order: | Phallales |
Family: | Phallaceae |
Genus: | Phallus |
Species: | P. indusiatus.Sp |
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/25747229@N00/2274351434/?editedcomment=1#comment72157615982245431
- http://mushroomobserver.org/5518
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_indusiatus
- Foot note by Michael Kuo
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