Colus hirudinosus (species group)

[ Basidiomycetes > Phallales > Phallaceae > Colus . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Is this thing cool, or what? Don't bet the house on my identification, however; the photo was sent to me from Australia in an e-mail, and I have made my best guess, using a 30-year-old source, without actually examining the mushroom. Normally, pages at this Web site represent North American mushrooms I have collected and studied--but I'm always willing to make exceptions for stinkhorns (see Lysurus corallocephalus for an African example).

The fused arms that form a stem-like structure define the genus Colus, but species within the genus "are not clear cut," according to stinkhorn expert D. M. Dring (1980). Colus pusillus (also known as Colus muelleri) is quite similar to Colus hirudinosus, and whether there is one variable species or several species with minor morphological differences is not clear. As of 1980, Colus pusillus was known from Australia, while Colus hirudinosus was documented from Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously; in woods or in cultivated areas; year-round in tropical and subtropical areas; distribution uncertain (see above).

Fruiting Body: Initially a whitish to brownish "egg" 1-2 cm across, attached to white cords; rupturing, with the stinkhorn emerging as a cage-like structure, 5-8 cm high, of corrugated scarlet arms that fuse into a stem-like and slightly paler base composed of 4-6 vertical columns; the inner surfaces of the cage covered with foul-smelling, olive brown slime; the egg tissue creating a whitish volva.

Microscopic Features: Spores 3.5-6.5 x 1-2 µ; cylindrical; smooth.

REFERENCES: Cavalier & Séchier, 1835. (Saccardo, 1888; Dring, 1964; Dring, 1980.) I have not collected this mushroom.

Further Online Information:

Colus hirudinosus Group at Fungimap

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2007, March). Colus hirudinosus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/colus_hirudinosus.html