Anyone recognise this fugus?

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

A small part of my yard is seeing this unfortunately shaped funus stalks come through the lawn. Apart from their phalic shape, they have a terrible smell (like doggie do) that attracts flies, and oozes a brown fluid from its crown.

A particularly large one saw the crown open like a multi pronged crown to reveal a hollow interior.

These only last less than a full day before whilting.

The patch of yard they are in is in part shade, and sees a lot of rain water drain into it from the guttering (very sandy soil, very well draining).

Might it indicate something sinister in the soil? The kid's swing set is there too.

Cheers for any help,

Mental.

[dannat]

it is unusual - perhaps a Cordyceps sp. -they usually parasitise some type of insect larvae. also may be a Mutinus sp. - they have some odour

[[1ponders]]

Its one of the Stinkhorn Fungi Alex. Family Phallaceae. There are a large number of fungi in this group.

[[1ponders]]

http://www.brisrain.webcentral.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=728

or here
http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/fungimap/home

[el_draco]

Thank god, thought someone had posted a picture of my X:rofl::rofl:

[mental4astro]

Wow, aren't fungi amazing organisms!

I never, never thought there was such a range of them.

[AstralTraveller]

:lol: Now there is a well-named Family. Very descriptive.

[Inmykombi]

Definately one the Stink Horn variety fungus.

I once had a garden full of them. There was a "web" of joining roots or fungus between all of them.

They were very very difficult to remove and prevent from coming back again.

I eventually had to dig the entire garden up section by section and remove all the underground bulbs before they erupted through the soil into the air.
Once they opened to the air they had a wicked smell like rotting meat that attracted flies which I guess helped them reproduce.

What a nightmare.:eyepop:

My advise is remove all of them immediately and dig around to make sure there are no more nearby the ones that have come up through the ground.

Good luck.

[mental4astro]

Hmmm... Looks like a job to be done. The kids certainly don't like them. Other than the smell, I find them decorative, :screwy:. I think I'm in the minority at home, though.