A stinkhorn with a hollow, pinkish to red stem that has 4-6 ribbed, angled sides. The stem divides into 4-6 short arms that stay joined at the tip, forming a lantern-like head coated in foul-smelling brown spore slime. It is native to Asia and has spread to gardens and mulch in North America, Europe and Australia.
Edible in the immature egg stage, which is eaten as a delicacy in China; mature fruitbodies are not eaten because of their stench. Any egg must be sliced lengthwise before eating: a stinkhorn egg shows gelatinous layers and a compressed stem and head, while a deadly Amanita egg (amatoxins) shows the outline of a cap and gills.
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Habitat
Saprobic, alone or in small groups in wood-chip mulch, compost, lawns, gardens and forest litter, usually in disturbed or urban settings. Summer, or year-round in warm climates.
Distribution
Native to Asia (described from near Beijing). Probably introduced to Europe (first reported from Italy in 1979), Australia and North America. In North America most common in California; also from the Great Plains to Texas, Oklahoma and the East south of about Maryland and St. Louis.
Characteristics
Egg: whitish, gelatinous, up to 2 cm wide and 3 cm high, attached by rhizomorphs. Stem: 2-7 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm thick (Wikipedia gives up to 10-15 cm), hollow and spongy, pale orange, pink or red, with 4-6 deeply ribbed sides; base in a white volva. Head: 1-2 cm, 4-6 arms fused at the tips into a point. Gleba: dark olive-brown slime with a strong fecal or carrion odor. Spores: cylindrical, smooth, 3-4.5 x 1-1.5 um (MushroomExpert.com).
