Devil'S Dipstick
ExplorarHongos
Devil'S Dipstick
mutinus elegans
The Devil's Dipstick, scientifically known as Mutinus elegans, is a fascinating and bizarre member of the stinkhorn family of fungi. Emerging from a gelatinous, egg-like sac, this fungus rapidly grows into a vibrant, slender, pink-to-orange stalk. It is famous for its foul-smelling, olive-brown slime at the tip, which emits an odor of rotting meat to attract flies and beetles that aid in dispersing its spores. Despite its unsettling appearance and scent, it plays a vital ecological role as a decomposer, turning tough woody material back into rich nutrients for the soil. It is a common and surprising find in suburban gardens, hardwood forests, and landscaped yards, often appearing overnight after warm summer rains.
Hábitat: Found in mulched garden beds, parks, lawns, and deciduous woodlands, typically growing on decaying wood chips or rich organic soil.
Aspecto
This fungus features a slender, hollow, spongy stalk that grows up to 18 cm tall and about 1.5 cm thick, tapering towards a pointed tip. The stalk ranges in color from bright reddish-orange to pale pinkish-red near the base. The upper third of the stalk is covered in a sticky, slimy, olive-green to dark brown spore mass known as the gleba, which has a distinctively foul, carrion-like odor. It emerges from a whitish, egg-like cup at the soil surface, with white rhizomorphs anchored in the substrate.
ReinoFungiFiloBasidiomycotaClaseAgaricomycetesOrdenPhallalesFamiliaPhallaceaeGéneroMutinus
Categoría
HongosRareza
Common
Peligro
1/5 · Muy bajo
Snaps
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Datos interesantes
Its spores are not dispersed by wind like most other fungi; they rely entirely on the digestive tracts and feet of insects to spread.
The genus name Mutinus is derived from Mutunus Tutunus, a Roman phallic marriage deity, referencing the fungus's suggestive shape.
While the mature stinkhorn smells terrible, the immature 'egg' stage is technically edible and lacks the foul odor, though it is not considered choice.
Habilidades especiales
Habilidad
Mimicry of Decay
Produces a chemical cocktail that perfectly mimics the odor of decaying flesh to lure carrion insects for spore dispersal.
Habilidad
Rapid Turgor Growth
Can expand from its subterranean egg-like state to a full-sized stalk in just a few hours using hydraulic pressure.
Habilidad
Wood Decomposition
Possesses powerful extracellular enzymes that break down complex lignin and cellulose in woody materials.
Medidas y detalles
- Longitud
- 6-18 cm
- Peso
- 0.01-0.05 kg
Dieta y alimentación
As a saprobic fungus, it breaks down and absorbs complex organic compounds from decaying wood, mulch, and leaf litter.
Alimentos principales
- Decaying wood chips
- Forest mulch
- Fallen leaves
- Rotting tree roots
Conexiones ecológicas
mutualism
Common Greenbottle Fly
Lucilia caesar
Attracted by the putrid scent, this fly consumes the spore-laden gleba and disperses the spores to new habitats via its feet and droppings.
host plant
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Serves as a primary food and substrate source, with the fungus actively decomposing its fallen wood debris.
Rasgos
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También conocido como
Todavía no hay alias listados.
Colecciones
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Seguridad
Peligro
1/5 · Muy bajo
Todavía no hay notas especiales de seguridad.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Cómo identificar a Devil'S Dipstick?
La forma más fácil de identificar a Devil'S Dipstick es usar la aplicación de identificación de naturaleza Snappit.
¿Cuál es el longitud de Devil'S Dipstick?
6-18 cm
¿Cuál es el peso de Devil'S Dipstick?
0.01-0.05 kg
¿Qué come Devil'S Dipstick?
As a saprobic fungus, it breaks down and absorbs complex organic compounds from decaying wood, mulch, and leaf litter.
¿Dónde se encuentra normalmente Devil'S Dipstick?
Found in mulched garden beds, parks, lawns, and deciduous woodlands, typically growing on decaying wood chips or rich organic soil.
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