Common Stinkhorn
I found possibly the most comedic fungus, the Common Stinkhorn ( Phallus impudicus ), this week. Both the Latin and common names fit it very well. It is very stinky and phallic in shape. The species name " impudicus " means "immodest" or "shameless" in Latin, so the full name literally means "shameless phallus"! Before the unmistakeable shape of the stinkhorn emerges however, it is initially contained in an egg-like sac, which eventually bursts open, revealing the mature fruiting body of the fungus. This 'egg' is actually edible and can be enjoyed raw (though only if you can stomach the smell, as although it is not as strong at this stage, it's still pretty putrid!), it is reported to taste radish-like. This stage of the fungus can be observed all year round, but can be more difficult to detect without the aid of the far-penetrating smell of the emerged 'phallus'. This smell is so revolting that it has been mistaken for dead...