Devil’s Stinkhorn

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Devil’s Stinkhorn is native to the subtropical region of northern Africa, Australia, South America, northern Mexico and southern United States. It has spread throughout the eastern United States, probably in wood chip mulch imported from those regions. It is now common east of the Great Plains. It is found from spring through summer in lawns and gardens, especially where wood chip mulch is used. It grows on the ground, in wood chips or sawdust piles, singly or in groups. It is saprobic, obtaining its nutrients from decaying wood.

The fruiting body at first is whitish to pale brown, egg-shaped, ¾″ to 1¼″ tall, and ⅜″ to 1¼″ wide. It resembles a puffball at least partially submerged in the ground. It is attached to the ground or other substrate by thread-like, branching, similarly colored strands (mycelium). Inside the “egg” there is a gelatinous layer, an olive-green spore mass (gleba), and all of the fully-formed parts of the mature stinkhorn. When conditions are right the “egg” ruptures and expands rapidly. In one or two days it produces a distinctly phallic structure with a stalk and thimble-like head. The rapid expansion is possible because all of the parts are fully formed and compressed inside the “egg”, and because the individual cells elongate, rather than new cells being produced. As the stinkhorn expands the gelatinous layer mixes with the spore mass producing a shiny, putrid slime that covers the cap. The foul-smelling slime is irresistible to flies, which feed on it, lay their eggs in it, and transfer spores when they fly to other stinkhorns.

The stalk is hollow, spike-like, 6″ to 8″ tall, and about ⅝″ in diameter. It is widest at the base and tapers to the tip. It is bright orangish-red near the tip, fading to pale orange near the base. The surface is covered with irregular, pit-like depressions.

The cap is thimble-like,1¼″to 1¾″ in height, and ⅝″ to ¾″ in diameter. There is an orangish-red, circular opening at the top where it attaches to the stalk. There are sometimes remnants of a membranous veil attached to the bottom of the cap. At first, the cap is covered with a thick, slimy or gluey, shiny, olive-green to olive-brown, spore-bearing mass (gleba). The gleba has a strong, putrid odor, repulsive to humans but irresistible to flies. When it is carried off by flies and/or washed off by rain it reveals an orangish-red, smooth, not pitted or ridged surface. There are no gills.

Wood chip mulch, lawns, and gardens

Spring through summer

Sources

4, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

Common and widespread east of the Great Plains

Found in the mulch at the base of a Butterfly Bush in my backyard.

Location: Blount County,  TN

Found in the mulch at the base of a Butterfly Bush in my backyard. 

Location: Russellville Arkansas

Location: Jackson MN – flowerbed around my house

Location: Kimball, MN Stearns County

In July I wast digging around by my mulch pile when I smelled something really bad.

I found these unusual (to me) pods in my wood chips. About a month later, these guys were poking their heads out all over the place.

Location: SW Minneapolis

Location: Brooklyn Center

At first glance I thought this was a foam dart from one my son's Nerf guns. Good thing I didn't try to pick it up, my hands would have stunk for a week!

Location: Fridley backyard

Location: Paul Bunyan Trail, Nisswa

My first thought was these looked like bright orange cables coming from the ground. A closer look showed Devil's Stinkhorn.

Location: Hennepin - South Minneapolis