Octopus Stinkhorn

Clathrus archeri

The Octopus Stinkhorn is a silly-looking mushroom that looks like an octopus! It has a strong smell but is fun to spot in the forest.

Habitat: Woodlands and forests

Appearance

The Octopus Stinkhorn has 4-7 bright pink to red, fleshy arms that unfurl from a white, gelatinous egg. These arms are covered in a dark, slimy, olive-brown gleba, giving it a striking and unusual appearance unlike typical mushrooms.

KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderPhallalesFamilyPhallaceaeGenusClathrus

Octopus Stinkhorn

Interesting facts

Before it hatches, it looks like a spooky white, slimy egg poking out of the ground.

Don't worry, it won't actually grab you with its "tentacles" like an octopus!

Its sticky, dark slime is packed with millions of tiny spores, ready for travel.

It’s native to Australia and New Zealand, but now found on almost every continent!

Special abilities

Octopus Stinkhorn has a pungent, rotting smell that helps them attract flies for spore dispersal.

Octopus Stinkhorn can emerge quickly from a gelatinous "egg" that grows in the soil or leaf litter.

Octopus Stinkhorn can unfurl its arms in just a few hours, dramatically changing its appearance.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-20 cm
Edibility: inedible
Growth Substrate: leaf litter
Season: Summer to fall
Spore Color: Olive-brown

Ecological connections

symbiotic with

House Fly

Musca domestica

Flies disperse spores after being attracted by its strong smell.

symbiotic with

Fruit Fly

Drosophila melanogaster

Fruit flies also aid in spore dispersal due to the enticing odor.

eats

Garden Snail

Helix aspersa

Snails sometimes consume parts of the decaying fungal body.

Traits

Spore Producing

Discover how some plants and fungi create tiny little "seeds" called spores to help them grow new life! These tiny particles drift in the air, spreading new generations far and wide.

Rapid Growing

Watch these energetic plants grow super fast, quickly transforming spaces and adding lush greenery in a blink of an eye!

Decomposer

Meet the cleanup crew of nature! These vital organisms help break down dead things, returning nutrients to the soil and keeping our ecosystems healthy.