#devil's egg

The Devil's Egg, Suriname by John C. Mittermeier Via Flickr: Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Suriname. July 2006.

The stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus) is a very common fungi found throughout British woodlands during the summer months. They first appear upon the woodland floor in the form of 'eggs', which are similar to puffballs in size and shape. At this stage of their development, the eggs are known as Witch's or Devil's eggs. Despite these names of ill forebode, the white flesh found within the egg is edible and can be eaten raw, it has a creamy nutty flavour which I found very pleasant. Care should be taken not to confuse it with Amanita species which look similar at this stage and could prove deadly. Once the egg hatches it quickly becomes apparent that the fungi is aptly named, Phallus impudicus means shameless penis! The sight of the stinkhorn, was apparently, too much for many a Victorian mistress. Etty, the eldest daughter of Charles Darwin, is said to have collected and burnt any specimens she found in her garden, to prevent them from corrupting her servants. As an evolutionary solution to the problem of spore dispersal, few fungi can outdo the stinkhorn. The sticky spore bearing mass at the tip of the fungi (the gleba) has an incredibly powerful smell of rotting flesh. This smell attracts flies which consume the gleba with great gusto until all that remains is the white honeycombed tip. Spores are then deposited throughout the woodland in the dung of the flies, genius. So next time you are walking around your local woodland and the repugnant smell of rotting meat fills your nostrils, have a look around, it could be Satan's Member