Family: Phallaceae

Phallaceae

Fungi:> Basidiomycota:> Agaricomycetes:> Gomphales:> Phallaceae:> Aseroe, Clathrus, Ileodictyon, Pseudocolus, Mutinus.

This family is one of the most strange in the fungus kingdom. Its members attract insects, most often flies, for spore dispersal, and to this end, they mimic the smell of dung. Soon after hatching, the stench from the stink horn is detected by insects which come to feed on it, and when they leave, they carry away spores on their bodies and in what they eat, to be deposited later far away from the parent fungus. Snails and slugs also help with spore dispersal.

Genus: Aseroe

This fungi comes in a wide variety of forms, sometimes with a long stipe and long orange tentacles. while at other times it has a relatively short, wide stipe with long red tentacles or a mixture of these basic shapes.

Aseroe rubra

Genus: Clathrus

Clathrus archeri

Clathrus chrysomycelinus

Unidentified species

This Clathrus species below seems to be a mystery. Some believe it is a large Aseroe rubra, while others believe it is a Clathrus archer, but the nether fits both descriptions well. It has become common in the Auckland region in the past 20 years with the popularity of using wood chip mulch.

Clathrus species

Odd Colours

On occasion, you will come across unusually coloured stinkhorns, which are usually yellow or orange rather than the usual red. I am told this is the result of a mineral deficiency in the substrate, yet I have never seen any research to confirm this.

Genus: Ileodictyon

Ileodictyon cibarium is the common basket fungus found in both native and wood chip mulch.

Ileodictyon cibarium

Genus: Lysurus

A rare genus with only one previously recorded species found in New Zealand. It is very likely that this is an introduced species found in grasslands.

Lysurus cruciatus

Genus: Pseudocolus

Pseudocolus garciae

Genus: Mutinus

Mutinus species

Mutinus ravenelii

Genus: Protubera

Protubera nothofagi

The Hidden Forest Forest Fungi

Pseudocolus garciae