Fungus
Column Stinkhorn
Clathrus columnatusAlso known as Columnar Stinkhorn
Column stinkhorns emerge from subterranean gel-filled egg structures, bursting upward to form striking, arching columns of vivid orange or red. The inner surfaces of these spongy pillars are coated in a dark, foul-smelling gleba slime designed to mimic rotting flesh. Flies and beetles are attracted to the potent aroma, inadvertently picking up spores on their bodies to scatter across surrounding leaf litter and mulch.
FungusSaprobicSmelly
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyDecomposer (Saprobic)
Predators
- Flies
- Beetles
- Slugs
ThreatsFungicide application, soil disruption
HabitatsWood mulch, lawns, gardens, leaf litter
Life span1–3 days (fruiting body)
Classification
- FamilyPhallaceae
- SpeciesClathrus columnatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never ingest wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Location: Look for egg-stage structures half-buried in wood chips after rain.
- Odor: Prepare for an intense rot-like stench when approaching mature specimens.
Close Relative (c) Dave Gough, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Nolan Exe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nolan Exe · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Sean Bloom, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sean Bloom · cc-by
Close Relative Jörg Hempel / CC BY-SA 3.0 de · cc-by-sa
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