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Phallus impudicus.   Click a photo to enlarge it.   back to list

synonyms: Erdei szömörcsög, Gemeine Stinkmorchel, Oeuf du diable, Phallus Impudique, Satyre puant, Stinkhorn, Szömörcsög
Phallus impudicus GK Mushroom
Ref No: 8550
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Phallus impudicus Mushroom
Ref No: 8551
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location: North America, Europe
edibility: Inedible
fungus colour: White to cream, Black or blackish
normal size: 5-15cm
cap type: Other
stem type: Volva on stem, Stem much longer than cap diameter
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

Phallus impudicus Pers. syn. Ithyphallus impudicus (L.) Fr. Stinkhorn, Phallus Impudique, Satyre puant, Oeuf du diable, Gemeine Stinkmorchel, Erdei szömörcsög, Satirione, Grote Stinkzwam. Fruit body initially semi-submerged and covered by leaf-litter, egg-like, 3–6cm across, attached to substrate by a cord-like mycelial strand. The outer wall of the egg is white to pinkish but there is a thick gelatinous middle layer held between the membranous inner and outer layers. The egg is soon ruptured, as the white hollow stalk-like receptacle extends to 10–25cm high, the pendulous, bell-shaped head is covered by a meshwork of raised ribs covered in dark olive slime which contains the spores. This slime has a strong sickly offensive smell which attracts flies from large distances, the slime sticks to the legs of the flies and thus acts as a means of spore dispersal which takes place very rapidly, exposing the underlying mesh of the cap. Spores pale yellow, oblong, 3.5–4 x 1.5–2µ. Habitat associated with rotting wood which may be buried in the soil, in gardens and woodland. Season summer to late autumn. Very common. The egg stage, which lacks the disgusting smell, is edible though not tasty; it is said to be an aphrodisiac presumably through association with its phallic shape. Distribution, America and Europe. The second picture was taken by Geoffrey Kibby. The latest one sent in from Australia does not look the same as the European species, mainly because of the scarlet colour, is there an Australian name for this fungus?

Members' images and comments

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Ozlem Arıkan (Turkey) - 02 November 2015

I found this mushroom on 3rd Nov. under a conifer type tree in our local park, North West Istanbul. Horrid smell and slimy surface made it easy to recognize.
Phallus impudicus
Kristina Trott (United States) - 16 March 2015

Growing beside wood mulch path, one of several
Phallus impudicus
Yves Peeters (Belgium) - 10 January 2015

Phallus impudicus
Rob Evans (United Kingdom) - 11 September 2014

Stinkhorn found in woods near Shugborough Staffordshire October 2013.
Phallus impudicus
James Owens (United States) - 15 July 2014

Found this growing in my Herb Garden in Havana, Florida.
Phallus impudicus
David Peachy (United States) - 03 July 2014

Found this in my yard early in the Summer after a series of rains.
Phallus impudicus
seth wilson (United States) - 13 June 2014

In my field 30 miles east of Cheyenne, WY, I found what I thought was a huge (1.5 ft diameter) tightly packed patch of puffballs, but they had very loose skin over a clearish jelly over a very firm center. There was also one hollow, spongy mushroom right next to the patch. It had a sickly sweet/rotting fruit kind of smell. Cutting the eggs in half both ways, I don't think I'm brave enough to try them, but they look pretty cool.
Phallus impudicus
Michael Oldrini (United Kingdom) - 01 October 2013

Spotted under conifers 28 September 2013
Phallus impudicus
D Patel (United Kingdom) - 04 June 2013

Found these in the Garden this week. Very odd!!!! How would it have got here?
Phallus impudicus
GIRISH GOGOI (India) - 10 January 2013

Phallus sp. collected during the rainy season from Assam. Clicked by GIRISH GOGOI, RFRI, JORHAT, ASSAM, INDIA
Phallus impudicus
Clark Bannert (United States) - 02 December 2012

This is the second crop of these that I found beside my house.
Phallus impudicus
frances jensen (United States) - 18 September 2012

Frances Jensen (United States) 17 Sept. 2012 Found growing in the mulch around my King Crimson tree. Able to identify using Rogers Mushroom images.
Phallus impudicus
Dejan Stojanovic (Yugoslavia) - 24 June 2012

Phalus impudicus. Mushroom found and photographed a member of the Mushroom Association Nis, Dusan Vucic - Sha man.
Phallus impudicus
steve d (United States) - 03 May 2012

Found in my backyard in Oklahoma City, OK and identified thanks to RogersMushrooms.
Phallus impudicus
L K (Australia) - 23 March 2012

Found in a garden bed in North Queensland after 3 days of heavy rain.
Phallus impudicus
Patricia Curtis (United Kingdom) - 06 October 2011

Phallus imupudicus
Phallus impudicus
Diane Arndt (United States) - 30 August 2011

I found this mushroom in my garden area as I was doing some much needed weeding. It had a very offensive smell in the slime that was coming from the mushroom. It is approximatley 5 to 6 in. long and has a second one along with the eggs that are about 2 in. in diam. Thankyou for your site so that I could easily determine "What is that in my garden" Diane
Phallus impudicus
Diane Arndt (United States) - 30 August 2011

I found this mushroom in my garden area as I was doing some much needed weeding. It had a very offensive smell in the slime that was coming from the mushroom. It is approximatley 5 to 6 in. long and has a second one along with the eggs that are about 2 in. in diam. Thankyou for your site so that I could easily determine "What is that in my garden" Diane
Phallus impudicus
Sha man (Yugoslavia) - 09 July 2011

Niš surroundings, Southeastern Serbia, Jun 2011. Mycological Society "Fungi" Niš.
Phallus impudicus
Sha man (Yugoslavia) - 09 July 2011

Niš surroundings, Southeastern Serbia, Jun 2011. Mycological Society "Fungi" Niš.
Marjan Kustera (Yugoslavia) - 06 July 2011

FIND THIS YEAR,Jun,Southern Serbia,NIS. Photo taken by Marjan Kuštera.NIŠ,Srbija.
Phallus impudicus
Jo Priestnall (United Kingdom) - 27 June 2011

17/10/2004 New Forest
Phallus impudicus
Slobodan Nikolic (Yugoslavia) - 11 February 2011

Phallus impudicus
Wade Fulp (United States) - 01 November 2010

Location: Perkasie, PA USA I was rather disturbed when I found this mushroom and unearthed it.
Phallus impudicus
Tony Wharton (United Kingdom) - 26 October 2010

Photographed in Piper's Hill Wood, Worcestershire.
Phallus impudicus
claudio vazquez (United States) - 08 October 2010

Phallus impudicus
Gregg von Sternberg (United States) - 29 September 2010

East Falmouth, MA September 30, 2010
Phallus impudicus
marilyn pitt (United States) - 23 September 2010

WE FOUND THESE MUSHROOMS GROWING IN OUR FLOWER BED, ARE THEY NATIVE TO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA?
Phallus impudicus
Ashley Watson (United Kingdom) - 06 September 2010

'Egg' stage. Leicestershire, UK, August 4th 2010
Phallus impudicus
Caryl Hubert (United States) - 24 November 2009

This is the strangest mushroom I have ever seen. The egg shape beginnings have a gelatinous inside with a yolk sized very hard center visible when disturbed. Otherwise, this fleshy stem protrudes with a greyish filmy cap. At the apex of cap is a perfectly rounded hole of the same white flesh color as the stem...
Phallus impudicus
Jeff Moser (United States) - 22 August 2009

Phallus impudicus
Lorand Bartho (Hungary) - 24 February 2009

Hungarian name, Erdei szömörcsög
Lorand Bartho (Hungary) - 01 December 2008

On some of these images of members flies attracted by the carcassy smell of this fungus are shown (they will probably distribute spores). Here you can see a crab spider hunting for flies.
Phallus impudicus
David Risso (Gibraltar) - 28 November 2008

Found these on a walk along the Mediterranean steps on the rock of Gibraltar, its a narrow pathway that is on sheer cliffs faces with a southerly aspect...
Phallus impudicus
David Risso (Gibraltar) - 28 November 2008

Found these on a walk along the Mediterranean steps on the rock of Gibraltar, its a narrow pathway that is on sheer cliffs faces with a southerly aspect...
Phallus impudicus
andrew brown (United Kingdom) - 20 November 2008

Phallus impudicus
Mirosław Wantoch-Rekowski (Poland) - 03 November 2008

Phallus.W breakdown of the eggs that form is edible.
Phallus impudicus
Mirosław Wantoch-Rekowski (Poland) - 03 November 2008

Las mieszany.Buk,œwierk,sosna,d¹b.Kaszyby-Babi Dó³.Poland
Phallus impudicus
Mirosław Wantoch-Rekowski (Poland) - 03 November 2008

Las beech (Fagus). Kaszuby-Koœcierzyna.Poland
Phallus impudicus
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