Anemone Stinkhorn or Starfish Fungus

Member - John and Val — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 07:21:00 GMT

This weird looking "thing" is a native fungus that rots down litter on the forest floor. A globular egg-like structure on the soil gives rise to a large fleshy tube, up to 100 x 30 mm. The tube ends in a horizontal ring, up to 120 mm in diameter, of bright red "tentacles", arranged in up to 10 pairs. In the centre is an annulus of sticky dark brown slime that contains the spores. The slime has a faecal or sewage odour to attract flies for spore dispersal.
Family: Phallaceae Genus: Aseroe Species: rubra Main Flower Colour: Other

Phallaceae Aseroe rubra Wildflowers

Anemone Stinkhorn or Starfish Fungus