The Fungi World (160) : Stinkhorn

Autumn is on its way and soon it will be fungi time again.
As a foretaste, I spotted this striking Stinkhorn in the forest last week.

The Stinkhorn with its phallic shape when mature, has a strong and very unpleasant odour, but despite its foul smell, it’s not poisonous.

This fungus emerges from an ‘egg’ beneath the surface and the body grows extremely rapidly from the egg, taking just 1 and a half hour to reach full size with a length up to 20cm. high !

In the Middle Ages, sap from the Stinkhorn was used as a love potion.......

Dutch name : Grote Stinkzwam
German name : Stinkmorchel
Latin name : Phallus impudicus