Mutinus caninus
Scientific name: Mutinus caninus (Persoon) Fries
Derivation of name: Cani- means "dog."
Synonyms:
Common name(s): Dog stinkhorn.
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Order: Phallales
Family: Phallaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; solitary or
grouped on
soil, mulch, wood chips, and decaying wood;
August through
October.
Dimensions: Fruit body 7-12 cm tall and 1-2 cm wide.
Description:
Fruit body at first a white to pinkish egg-
like
stage,
resembling a puffball. The egg is attached to the
substrate by white
mycelial strands (rhizomorphs).
The outer
wall (peridium) of the egg
splits and a hollow,
spongy, stalk
expands which is white to pinkish-red toward the tip and
paler to whitish toward the base. The stalk is
more or less
the same thickness right up to the apex which quickly
tapers to a point. A slimy, olive-brown, fetid spore mass
covers the
upper 1/4 or less (2-3 cm) of the fruit body.
Edibility: The egg stages are edible.
Comments: Flies are attracted to the fetid slimy mass and
serve to
disperse the spores. Compare this species with
Mutinus elegans
and consult the website below for further
comments on these two
species.
More information at MushroomExpert.com:
More information at TomVolkFungi.net:
Figure 1. This is a miserable picture of a specimen
from a NEMF foray. Note the small proportion of the
stipe
occupied by the olive-green spore mass.
Photo © Gary Emberger.
Figure 2. John Plischke III
tentatively identified this
specimen as Mutinus caninus. Photo © John Plischke III.
Figure 2. A specimen with an entirely white
stipe.
This is sometimes called Mutinus caninus var.
albus. Photo © Steve Nelsen.
Figure 3. Specimens and "eggs" of Mutinus caninus var.
albus. Photo © Steve Nelsen.