Clathrus archeri

Clathrus archeri
Octopus stinkhorn (Clathrus archeri) with sub-erumpent eggs
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Phallales
Family:	Phallaceae
Genus:	Clathrus
Species:	C. archeri
Binomial name
Clathrus archeri (Berk.) Dring 1980
Synonyms
Lysurus archeri Berk. (1859) Anthurus archeri (Berk.) E.Fisch. (1886) Aserophallus archeri (Berk.) Kuntze (1891) Pseudocolus archeri (Berk.) Lloyd (1913) Schizmaturus archeri (Berk.) Locq. (1977)

Clathrus archeri Mycological characteristics
	Glebal hymenium
	No distinct cap
	Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
	Lacks a stipe
	Spore print is olive-brown
	Ecology is saprotrophic
	Edibility is inedible

Clathrus archeri (synonyms Lysurus archeri, Anthurus archeri, Pseudocolus archeri), commonly known as octopus stinkhorn, squidward mushroom, or devil's fingers, is a fungus which has a global distribution. The young fungus erupts from a suberumpent egg by forming into four to seven elongated slender arms initially erect and attached at the top. The arms then unfold to reveal a pinkish-red interior covered with a dark-olive spore-containing gleba. In maturity it smells like putrid flesh. Recently, C. archeri var. alba with white tentacles or arms has been reported from the Shola Forests in the Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

References

Bibliography

• Arora, D; Burk, WR (1982). "Clathrus archeri, a stinkhorn new to North America". Mycologia. 74 (3): 501–504. doi:10.2307/3792972. JSTOR 3792972.
• Calonge, Francisco D. (1998) "Gasteromycetes, I. Lycoperdales, Nidulariales, Phallales, Sclerodermatales, Tulostomatale" in Flora Mycologica Iberica, Vol 3, J Cramer, Berlin, Germany. p. 271.
• Dring, DM (1980). "Contributions towards a rational arrangement of the Clathraceae". Kew Bulletin. 35 (1): 1–96. doi:10.2307/4117008. JSTOR 4117008.
• Pegler, DN et al. (1995) British Puffballs, Earthstars, and Stinkhorns, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England. p. 255.