Clathrus columnatus

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Clathrus columnatus
Clathrus columnatus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Phallales
Family: Phallaceae
Genus: Clathrus
Species:
C. columnatus
Binomial name
Clathrus columnatus
Bosc (1811)
Synonyms [1]
  • Laternea columnata(Bosc) Nees (1858)
  • Linderia columnata(Bosc) G.Cunn. (1931)
  • Colonnaria columnata(Bosc) E.Fisch. (1933)
  • Linderiella columnata(Bosc) G.Cunn. (1942)
Clathrus columnatus
Information icon.svg
Gleba icon.png Glebal hymenium
No cap icon.svgNo distinct cap
NA cap icon.svg Hymenium attachment is not applicable
NA cap icon.svgLacks a stipe
Transparent spore print icon.svg
 Spore print is olive-brown
Saprotrophic fungus.svgEcology is saprotrophic
Mycomorphbox Caution.pngMycomorphbox Question.pngEdibility is not recommended or unknown

Clathrus columnatus, commonly known as the column stinkhorn, is a saprobic species of basidiomycete fungus in the family Phallaceae. Similar to other stinkhorn fungi, the fruiting body, known as the receptaculum, starts out as a subterranean "egg" form. As the fungus develops, the receptaculum expands and erupts out of the protective volva, ultimately developing into mature structures characterized by two to five long vertical orange or red spongy columns, joined at the apex. The fully grown receptaculum reaches heights of 8 cm (3+1⁄4 in) tall. The inside surfaces of the columns are covered with a fetid olive-brown spore-containing slime, which attracts flies and other insects that help disseminate the spores.

Contents

The species has a widespread distribution, and has been found in Africa, Australasia, and the Americas. It may have been introduced to North America with exotic plants. Although once considered undesirable, the fungus is listed as edible. It is found commonly in mulch.

Taxonomy

The species was first named by the French botanist Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1811. [1] Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck transferred it into Laternea in 1858, a genus intended to accommodate those Clathrus-like species with arms arranged in columns rather than a network; [2] in its current meaning, Laternea includes species that have gleba suspended below the arch of the receptaculum by trabeculae (columns that extend from the peridium to the central core of the receptaculum). [3] Other genera to which the species has been transferred include Linderia by Gordon Herriot Cunningham in 1932, [4] Colonnaria by Eduard Fischer in 1933, and Linderiella by Cunningham in 1942. Colonnaria, Linderia and Linderiella are now considered obsolete genera, as they have been subsumed into Clathrus . [5] [6] [7]

The specific epithet columnatus is Latin, meaning "supported by pillars". [8] The mushroom is commonly known as the "column stinkhorn". [9] Curtis Gates Lloyd wrote in 1906 "in Florida, it is known to the natives as "Dead Men's Fingers". [10] however in recent times Dead Men's Fingers usually refers to Xylaria polymorpha .

Description

Mature specimens showing the dark-colored gleba Clathrus columnatus two close.jpeg
Mature specimens showing the dark-colored gleba

The fruit body, or receptaculum, of Clathrus columnatus consists of two to five (usually four) spongy vertical columns, which are separate where they arise from the volva, but joined at the top in an arch. The columns are joined in pairs; the opposite pairs are joined by a short and broad arch similar in structure to the columns. The columns, which are narrower at the base than above, are reddish-orange above and yellowish-pink below. Young specimens have the fruit body compressed into the small interior space of an "egg", [11] which consists of a peridium that is surrounded by a gelatinous layer that encloses the compressed fruiting body. The egg, usually gray or grayish-brown, [11] typically reaches diameters of 3 to 5 cm (1+1⁄4 to 2 in) before the columns grow. The volva remains at the base of the fruit body as a thick, loose, whitish sack. The mycelial cords found at the base of the volva are made of two types of tissues: a central bundle of fine hyphae that extend in a longitudinal direction, and an outer cortical layer of coarser hyphae that form a loose but highly interwoven structure. Full-grown columns can extend to 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3+1⁄4 in) above the ground, a location that optimizes spore dispersal. The fetid-smelling gleba, the spore-bearing mass, is smeared on the upper inner surface of the columns. [12]

The spores are elliptical, smooth, and have dimensions of 3.5–5 by 2–2.5  μm. [11] They have thin walls, and are covered by a transparent envelope. [13]

Development

The American botanist Edward Angus Burt published a detailed description of the development of C. columnatus in 1896. He found that the egg consists of cortical and medullary systems continued upward from the mycelial strand in the earliest stage. The cortical layer gives rise to the outer layer of the volva, the cortical plates and the pseudoparenchyma (thin-walled, usually angular, randomly arranged cells that are tightly packed) of the receptaculum. The medullary portion gives rise to the gelatinous masses of the gelatinous layer of the volva, to the gleba, and to the gelatinous tissue of the chambers of the receptaculum. The elongation of the receptacle begins at the base and after its elongation, the gleba hangs suspended from the arch of the receptaculum by medullary tissue constituting the chamber masses of the receptacle. [12]

Similar species

Clathrus ruber.jpg
Clathrus ruber
Pseudocolus fusiformis 423862.jpg
Pseudocolus fusiformis

Pseudocolus fusiformis , Clathrus bicolumnatus , and Clathrus ruber have similarities to Clathrus columnatus. The lattice stinkhorn, C. ruber, has a larger, more globular, lattice-like receptacle. The "stinky squid", P. fusiformis, has arms that are attached at the bases, and free at the top. It grows on rotting logs and chip-mulched soil, in contrast to C. columnatus, which grows on sandy soil. [9] C. bicolumnatus has a smaller stature (up to 9 cm tall), and only has two columns. [11] Laternea dringii is also much smaller. [14]

Habitat and distribution

Like all Phallaceae species, C. columnatus is saprobic, and uses extracellular digestion to acquire nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter, like wood. As a consequence of its predilection for dead wood, the fungus is often associated with disturbed habitats. It can often be found growing in and around gardens and residences where areas of cultivation or landscaping have resulted in accumulations of mulch, wood chips or other cellulose-rich materials. The mycelial cords can be traced to buried roots, stumps, and other woody material. [3] The species grows in sandy soil, [12] near woody debris, in lawns, gardens, and cultivated soil. [11] Fruit bodies appear singly, or scattered, and can arise in the summer, autumn, and early winter, especially after wet weather. [13]

The fungus has been collected in Oceania (including New Zealand and New Guinea), Africa, China, and North and South America. [15] In China, it is found in Jiangsu, Fujian, and Guangdong. [16] The North American distribution extends north to New York and south to Mexico as well as Costa Rica; [11] [17] it is also in Hawaii. [9] The fungus is less common in the southeastern and southern United States. [13] It is thought to have been introduced to North America, as it typically appear in landscaped areas or other locations where exotic plants have been established. [18]

Australian mycologist Tom May points out that a reported distribution in Australia is "presumably erroneous", being based on only a single collection in 1948. [19]

Ecology

Like other member of the family Phallaceae, the mature fungus attracts insects with its smell to help disperse its spores. Psilopyga fasciata , a stinkhorn beetle of the sap beetle family, has been recorded feeding on the gleba of Mexican specimens. [20]

Toxicity

The words of William Gilson Farlow, published in 1890, serve as a warning to those who might be inclined to consume Clathrus columnatus: "The odor of fully grown specimens of the order Phalloidea is so repulsive that the question as to their poisonous character when eaten by men has often been the subject of experiment." Farlow described two cases of poisoning, one involving a young girl "who ate a small piece of the fungus, and was seized with violent convulsions followed by loss of speech and a deep sleep lasting 52 hours"; the other case involved hogs that ate the fungus found in patches in oak woods, and died 12–15 hours later. [21]

Uses

Despite the early report of poisoning, Orson K. Miller, Jr. considers the egg's taste mild and lists the species as edible. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phallaceae</span> Family of fungi

Phallaceae is a family of fungi, commonly known as stinkhorns, within the order Phallales. Stinkhorns have a worldwide distribution, but are especially prevalent in tropical regions. They are known for their foul-smelling, sticky spore masses, or gleba, borne on the end of a stalk called the receptaculum. The characteristic fruiting-body structure, a single, unbranched receptaculum with an externally attached gleba on the upper part, distinguishes the Phallaceae from other families in the Phallales. The spore mass typically smells of carrion or dung, and attracts flies, beetles and other insects to help disperse the spores. Although there is great diversity in body structure shape among the various genera, all species in the Phallaceae begin their development as oval or round structures known as "eggs". The appearance of Phallaceae is often sudden, as gleba can erupt from the underground egg and burst open within an hour. According to a 2008 estimate, the family contains 21 genera and 77 species.

<i>Phallus</i> (fungus) Genus of fungi

The genus Phallus, commonly known as stinkhorns, is a group of basidiomycetes which produce a phallic, often foul-scented mushroom, from which their name is derived. The genus has a widespread distribution and, according to a 2008 estimate, contains 18 species. They belong to the family Phallaceae in the order Phallales. The best known species is the common stinkhorn.

<i>Phallus impudicus</i> Fungus known as the common stinkhorn

Phallus impudicus, known colloquially as the common stinkhorn, is a widespread fungus in the Phallaceae (stinkhorn) family. It is recognizable for its foul odor and its phallic shape when mature, the latter feature giving rise to several names in 17th-century England. It is a common mushroom in Europe and North America, where it occurs in habitats rich in wood debris such as forests and mulched gardens. It appears from summer to late autumn. The fruiting structure is tall and white with a slimy, dark olive colored conical head. Known as the gleba, this material contains the spores, and is transported by insects which are attracted by the odor—described as resembling carrion. Despite its foul smell, it is not usually poisonous and immature mushrooms are consumed in parts of France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

<i>Phallus ravenelii</i> Stinkhorn fungus from North America

Phallus ravenelii, commonly known as Ravenel's stinkhorn, is a fungus in the Phallaceae (stinkhorn) family. It is found in eastern North America. Its mushrooms commonly grow in large clusters and are noted for their foul odor and phallic shape when mature. It is saprobic, and as such it is encountered in a wide variety of habitats rich in wood debris, from forests to mulched gardens or sawdust piles in urban areas. It appears from August to October. The fruit body emerges from a pink or lavender-colored egg to form a tall, cylindrical, hollow and spongy white stalk with a bell-shaped cap. The remains of the egg persist as a white to pink or lilac volva at the base of the stalk. The cap is covered in a foul-smelling olive-green spore slime, which attracts insects that help to spread the spores. Sometimes, the cap has a "veil" attached—a thin membrane that hangs underneath. The lack of a roughly ridged and pitted cap differentiates it from the closely related Phallus impudicus. The fungus is named after Henry William Ravenel, a botanist who first discovered it in 1846, though it remained undescribed until 1873. It is considered to be an edible mushroom while in its egg form.

<i>Clathrus</i> Genus of fungi

Clathrus is a genus of fungi of the family Phallaceae, the stinkhorn fungi. Mature fruit bodies are covered with olive-brown slimy gleba, containing spores, that attract flies. These fungi are saprobic and are common in mulch.

<i>Phallus hadriani</i> Dune stinkhorn or sand stinkhorn fungus

Phallus hadriani, commonly known as the dune stinkhorn or the sand stinkhorn, is a species of fungus in the Phallaceae (stinkhorn) family. The stalk of the fruit body reaches up to 20 cm (8 in) tall by 4 cm thick, and is spongy, fragile, and hollow. At the top of the stem is a ridged and pitted, thimble-like cap over which is spread olive-colored spore slime (gleba). Shortly after emerging, the gleba liquefies and releases a fetid odor that attracts insects, which help disperse the spores. P. hadriani may be distinguished from the similar P. impudicus by the presence of a pink or violet-colored volva at the base of the stem, and by differences in odor.

<i>Phallus rubicundus</i> Tropical stinkhorn fungus

Phallus rubicundus is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. First described in 1811, it has a wide distribution in tropical regions. It has the typical stinkhorn structure consisting of a spongy stalk up to 15 cm (5.9 in) tall arising from a gelatinous "egg" up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. Atop the stalk is a pitted, conical cap that has a foul-smelling, gelatinous, green spore mass spread over it.

<i>Mutinus caninus</i> Species of fungus

Mutinus caninus, commonly known as the dog stinkhorn, is a small thin, phallus-shaped woodland fungus, with a dark tip. It is often found growing in small groups on wood debris, or in leaf litter, during summer and autumn in Europe, Asia, and eastern North America. It is not generally considered edible, although there are reports of the immature 'eggs' being consumed.

<i>Clathrus archeri</i> Species of fungus

Clathrus archeri, commonly known as octopus stinkhorn or devil's fingers, is a fungus which has a global distribution. This species was first described in 1980 in a collection from Tasmania. 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.

<i>Clathrus ruber</i> Species of fungus in the stinkhorn family

Clathrus ruber is a species of fungus in the family Phallaceae, and the type species of the genus Clathrus. It is commonly known as the latticed stinkhorn, the basket stinkhorn, or the red cage, alluding to the striking fruit bodies that are shaped somewhat like a round or oval hollow sphere with interlaced or latticed branches. The species was illustrated in the scientific literature during the 16th century, but was not officially described until 1729.

<i>Lysurus mokusin</i> Species of fungus

Lysurus mokusin, commonly known as the lantern stinkhorn, the small lizard's claw, or the ribbed lizard claw, is a saprobic species of fungus in the family Phallaceae. The fruit body consists of a reddish, cylindrical fluted stipe that is capped with several "arms". The arms can approach or even close in on each other to form a spire. The gleba—an olive-green slimy spore mass—is carried on the outer surface of the arms. The fruit body has an odor comparable to "fresh dog feces", "rotting flesh", or "sewage" when mature.

<i>Lysurus periphragmoides</i> Species of fungus

Lysurus periphragmoides, commonly known as the stalked lattice stinkhorn or chambered stinkhorn, is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It was originally described as Simblum periphragmoides in 1831, and has been known as many different names before being transferred to Lysurus in 1980. The saprobic fungus has a pantropical distribution, and has been found in Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas, where it grows on fertile ground and on mulch. The fruit body, which can extend up to 15 cm (5.9 in) tall, consists of a reddish latticed head placed on top of a long stalk. A dark olive-green spore mass, the gleba, fills the interior of the lattice and extends outwards between the arms. Like other members of the family Phallaceae, the gleba has a fetid odor that attracts flies and other insects to help disperse its spores. The immature "egg" form of the fungus is considered edible.

<i>Pseudocolus fusiformis</i> Species of fungus

Pseudocolus fusiformis is a stinkhorn mushroom in the Phallaceae, a family well known for a remarkable range of fruit body types. It is commonly known as the stinky squid, because of its fetid odor, and its three or four upright "arms" which are connected at the top. The malodorous smell comes from the dark greenish slimy gleba covering the inside faces of the arms, and attracts insects that help to disperse the spores.

<i>Mutinus elegans</i> Species of stinkhorn fungus

Mutinus elegans, commonly known as the elegant stinkhorn, the dog stinkhorn, the headless stinkhorn, or the devil's dipstick, is a species of fungus in the Phallaceae (stinkhorn) family. The fruit body begins its development in an "egg" form, resembling somewhat a puffball partially submerged in the ground. As the fungus matures, a slender orange to pink colored stalk emerges that tapers evenly to a pointed tip. The stalk is covered with a foul-smelling slimy green spore mass on the upper third of its length. Flies and other insects feed upon the slime which contains the spores, assisting in their dispersal.

<i>Clathrus crispus</i> Species of fungus

Clathrus crispus is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. Reported as new to science in 1820, it is found in the Americas.

<i>Clathrus transvaalensis</i> Species of fungus

Clathrus transvaalensis is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It is found in South Africa. It was described as new to science in 1990 by mycologists Albert Eicker and Derek Reid. The fruit body forms a hollow, pale yellow to pinkish lattice structure.

<i>Staheliomyces</i> Genus of fungi

Staheliomyces is a fungal genus in the stinkhorn family. The genus was considered monotypic for over 100 years, containing the single neotropical species Staheliomyces cinctus, until a 2022 study revealed four additional, cryptic species. Members are colloquially known as the strangled stinkhorns. The genus is found in Central America and northern South America. The fruit body of the fungus is a hollow, whitish, cylindric stalk up to 16 cm (6.3 in) tall, with conspicuous pits and holes. Near the top of the stalk is a pinched-off zone covered with unpleasant-smelling slimy spore mass called gleba. The gleba attracts stingless bees that help disseminate the spores.

<i>Aseroe floriformis</i> Species of fungus

Aseroe floriformis is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family Phallaceae. Described as a new species in 2005, it is known only from northeast Brazil, where it grows on sandy soil. The fruit body has a raspberry-colored stipe, and, unlike other members of the genus Aseroe does not have radiating branches.

<i>Colus hirudinosus</i> Species of fungus

Colus hirudinosus is a species of stinkhorn fungus (Gasteromycete) found in Asia, Australia, northern Africa, and southern Europe. The fruit body has a short, thick stalk that divides into several spongy, wrinkled, stalk-like, orange to red columns that are united at the top, thus forming a lattice. The spores are found within the gleba—a dark, olive-brown slime that coats the inside of the columns. Spores are spread by insects that are attracted by the fetid smell of the gleba, eat the spores, and pass them on to germinate elsewhere.

<i>Colus pusillus</i> Species of fungus

Colus pusillus is a species of fungus in the family Phallaceae. It is found in Australia. It is sometimes known as the craypot stinkhorn or basket stinkhorn, a reference to the unique appearance of the fruiting bodies which consist of vivid red, wrinkled arms that branch and connect to form a cage-like structure reminiscent to that of the related species Clathrus ruber. This fungus is saprobic and makes frequent appearances on garden mulch as a result.

References

  1. 1 2 "Clathrus columnatus Bosc 1811". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  2. ↑ Nees CGD, Henry ACF (1858). Das System der Pilze. Durch Beschreibungen und Abbildungen erläutert von Th. Friedr. Ludw. Nees von Esenbeck und A. Henry (in German). Vol. 2. Bonn: Verlag des Lithographischen Instituts der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität und der Leopoldinisch-Carolinischen Academie der Naturforscher von Henry und Cohen. p. 96. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
  3. 1 2 Miller HR, Miller OK (1988). Gasteromycetes: Morphological and Developmental Features, with Keys to the Orders, Families, and Genera. Eureka, California: Mad River Press. pp. 75–79, 93. ISBN   0-916422-74-7.
  4. ↑ "The Gasteromycetes of Australasia. XI. The Phallales, part II". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 56: 182–200. 1931.
  5. ↑ "Colonnaria Raf. 1808". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Linderia G. Cunn. 1931". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Linderiella G. Cunn. 1942". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  8. ↑ Langenscheidt KG (1955). Langenscheidt's Latin-English Dictionary (1st ed.). Berlin-Schöneberg, Germany: Druckhaus Langenscheidt. p. 73. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 McKnight VB, McKnight KH (1987). A Field Guide to Mushrooms, North America. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. p. 345. ISBN   0-395-91090-0.
  10. ↑ Lloyd CG (1906). "Concerning the Phalloids". Mycological Notes. 24: 293–. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kuo M. "Clathrus columnatus". MushroomExpert.com. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 Burt EA (1896). "The Phalloideae of the United States. II. Systematic Account". Botanical Gazette. 22 (5): 379–91. doi:10.1086/327425. S2CID   83928615.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Miller HR, Miller OK (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, Connecticut: FalconGuides. p. 482. ISBN   978-0-7627-3109-1.
  14. ↑ Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. p. 115. ISBN   978-0-593-31998-7.
  15. ↑ Dring DM (1980). "Contributions towards a rational arrangement of the Clathraceae". Kew Bulletin. 35 (1): 1–96+ii. doi:10.2307/4117008. JSTOR   4117008.
  16. ↑ Zhishu B, Zheng G, Taihui L (1993). The Macrofungus Flora of China's Guangdong Province (Chinese University Press). New York, New York: Columbia University Press. p. 542. ISBN   962-201-556-5 . Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  17. ↑ Saenz JA, Nassar M (1982). "Mushrooms of Costa-Rica – families Phallaceae and Clathraceae". Revista de Biología Tropical (in Spanish). 30 (1): 41–52. ISSN   0034-7744.
  18. ↑ Arora D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified: a Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. pp. 773–74. ISBN   0-89815-169-4 . Retrieved 21 October 2010.
  19. ↑ May TW, Milne J, Shingles S, Jones RH (2008). Fungi of Australia. Basidiomycota p.p. & Myxomycota. Vol. 2B. CSIRO Publishing. p. 136. ISBN   978-0-643-06907-7.
  20. ↑ "Notes on Mexican Psilopyga and Oxycnemus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)". Entomological News. 114 (2): 81–85. 2003. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
  21. ↑ Farlow WG (1890). "Poisonous action of Clathrus columnatus". Botanical Gazette. 15 (2): 45–46. doi:10.1086/326497. S2CID   84919621.

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