Elegant Stinkhorn
(Mutinus elegans)
Note the absence of the olive-brown slime near the tip of this stinkhorn, which is older than the ones shown below
sculpture, acrylic paint
by "Wildman"
This red to pink, pointy-tipped, cylindrical stinkhorn is 4 to 7 inches tall, 5/8 to 1 inch across, covered with greenish-brown slime toward the tip when young.
Note the white, egg-like immature stinkhorn in front of the base of the mature one
photo by "Wildman"
It arises from a whitish sack at the base.
Note the network of white mycelium infiltrating the wood chips.
photo by "Wildman"
Note the brown slime on top, and the remnants of the sac at the base.
photo by "Wildman"
The sac looks like a puffball (which is undifferentiated inside), but when you cut it open, you can see (and smell) the tube-like immature stinkhorn inside.
Note the hollow orange cylinder of the immature stinkhorn inside.
photo by "Wildman"
You can find this very common mushroom in cultivated areas throughout the eastern half of North America in the second half of the summer.
Note the stinkhorns collapsing in age.
photo by "Wildman"
This stinkhorn may be elegant, but it's not edible!
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