# 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.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Legendary
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Woodlands and forests
- **Also known as:** Devil's Fingers, Octopus Fungus

![Octopus Stinkhorn](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424697/objects/5147.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Phallales
- **Family:** Phallaceae
- **Genus:** Clathrus

## 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

- **Stinky Lure:** Octopus Stinkhorn has a pungent, rotting smell that helps them attract flies for spore dispersal.
- **Egg Hatch:** Octopus Stinkhorn can emerge quickly from a gelatinous "egg" that grows in the soil or leaf litter.
- **Rapid Growth:** Octopus Stinkhorn can unfurl its arms in just a few hours, dramatically changing its appearance.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-20 cm
- **Edible:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fruit-fly) (*Drosophila melanogaster*) — Fruit flies also aid in spore dispersal due to the enticing odor.
- **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails sometimes consume parts of the decaying fungal body.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Octopus Stinkhorn?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Octopus Stinkhorn?

10-20 cm

### Is Octopus Stinkhorn edible?

inedible

### Where is Octopus Stinkhorn usually found?

Woodlands and forests

### What does Octopus Stinkhorn grow on?

leaf litter

### When is Octopus Stinkhorn in season?

Summer to fall

### What color are Octopus Stinkhorn spores?

Olive-brown

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Octopus Stinkhorn: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/octopus-stinkhorn)