Pseudocolus fusiformis

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Pseudocolus fusiformis
Pseudocolus fusiformis 423862.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Phallales
Family: Phallaceae
Genus: Pseudocolus
Species:
P. fusiformis
Binomial name
Pseudocolus fusiformis
(E.Fisch.) Lloyd (1909)
Pseudocolus fusiformis
Information icon.svg
Gleba icon.png Glebal hymenium
No cap icon.svgNo distinct cap
NA cap icon.svg Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
NA cap icon.svgLacks a stipe
Transparent spore print icon.svg
 Spore print is olive-brown
Saprotrophic fungus.svgEcology is saprotrophic
Mycomorphbox Inedible.pngEdibility is inedible

Pseudocolus fusiformis is a stinkhorn mushroom in the Phallaceae, a family well known for a remarkable range of fruit body types. [1] It is commonly known as the stinky squid, [2] [3] 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.

Contents

It is the most widely distributed member of the genus Pseudocolus and has been found in the United States, Australia, and Asia.

Taxonomy

The first appearance of this species in the literature was in 1890, under the name Colus fusiformis, when Eduard Fischer wrote a description based on a painting he found in the Paris Museum of Natural History. [4] In his 1944 monograph on the Gasteromycetes of Australia and New Zealand, Gordon Herriot Cunningham considered this naming to be a nomen nudum —not published with an adequate description. [5] However, it was valid under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. In 1899 Penzig described the species Colus javanicus based on a single specimen found on Java, [6] and a year later Fischer amended the name of his original Colus fusiformis to Colus javanicus, as he was not satisfied with the quality of his original description. [7] Despite his doubts on the validity of his description, his original naming is both legitimate and has priority over C. javanicus. [8]

In 1907, Curtis Gates Lloyd described the new genus Pseudocolus , and reduced several species to synonyms of Pseudocolus fusiformis. [9] The first North American description of this species (as Colus schellenbergiae) was in 1916 by David Ross Sumstine; [10] Johnson later (1929) transferred this to Pseudocollus schellenbergiae. [11] Although Cunningham (1931) revised the genus Anthurus to include members of Pseudocolus, [12] Dring in 1973 considered the genera to be distinct. [13] Up until the appearance of an extensive study published in 1980, 13 different binomials had been used in the literature to name the species. [14] Index Fungorum lists the following synonyms of P. fusiformis: [15]

Description

Immature fruiting bodies resemble egg- or pear-shaped puffballs, grayish-brown to pale gray in color, with dimensions of 0.5 to 2.5 cm (1⁄4 to 1 in) diameter; the top surface is broken into small regions by cracks or crevices ( areolate ). [8] As the fungus matures, the fruiting body cracks open and forms a stalk with tapering arms, a volva, and a spore mass known as a gleba.

Mature fruiting bodies and bisected immature "egg" of P. fusiformis Pseudocolus fusiformis 423862.jpg
Mature fruiting bodies and bisected immature "egg" of P. fusiformis

The mature fruiting body is typically 3 to 6 cm (1+1⁄4 to 2+1⁄4 in) in height, with arms that are 2–5 times the length of the stipe. The stipe itself does not extend past the volva, and is hollow, thin-walled, chambered, wrinkled, and flares towards the upper end. The color of the stipe is white or grayish-white; it is 1 to 3.5 cm (1⁄2 to 1+1⁄2 in) in height, and 0.5 to 2.5 cm (1⁄4 to 1 in) thick at the widest diameter. [8] The three or four arms extending from the stipe average 3.6 cm (1+1⁄2 in) in length (ranging from 1 to 13 cm (1⁄2 to 5 in), [14] and wrinkled on the side bearing the gleba. The arms, which are joined at the top, are shaped like a lance ( lanceolate ), pointed towards the apex; they are orange-colored. The internal structure of the arms is made of chambers; one large chamber towards the outside, and typically three smaller chambers on the inside of the arm. The gleba is commonly found on the upper two-thirds of the inside surface of the arms, and is dark green and slimy. The fetid odor of the gleba, described by one author as comparable to "fresh pig manure", [16] attracts insects that help to disperse the spores.

The spores are elliptical or ovoid, smooth, translucent (hyaline), with dimensions of 4.5–5.5 by 2–2.5  μm. [17] The basidia, the spore-bearing cells, are attached to 6–8 sessile spores. [8]

Similar species

The stinkhorn species Clathrus columnatus somewhat resembles P. fusiformis in that it has 3 or 4 arms that extend upwards and join at the top. However, unlike C. columnatus, the arms of P. fusiformis share a common stem, and the immature egg-form is gray or grayish brown, rather than white. [18]

Clathrus archeri has more tentacle-like arms. [19]

Habitat and distribution

This species grows scattered or in groups on disturbed soil in coniferous or mixed forests. It is also found growing on wood chips used as mulch in gardens or for landscaping; [17] Blanton has also reported it growing in a garden "solitary and very large". [14]

Pseudocolus fusiformis has been collected from a variety of locations worldwide, including Europe, [20] Australia, Japan, Java, the Philippines, Reunion Island, the United States, [8] and Turkey. [21]

It is thought to have been introduced from southeast Asia to North America, [22] where it can be found from May to September. [19] In the continental United States, it was first collected in Pittsburgh in 1915; [2] since then it has been found in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia; it has also been found in Hawaii. [23]

Inedibility

Although not considered poisonous, P. fusiformis is not recommended for consumption. [24] Some related species such as Phallus impudicus or Mutinus caninus are considered to be edible (or even delicacies) in the immature egg stage; [25] however, the foul smell of stinkhorns at maturity would likely deter most individuals from eating them.

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 indusiatus</i> Widespread species of stinkhorn fungus

Phallus indusiatus, commonly called the basket stinkhorn, bamboo mushrooms, bamboo pith, long net stinkhorn, crinoline stinkhorn, bridal veil, or veiled lady, is a fungus in the family Phallaceae, or stinkhorns. It has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical areas, and is found in southern Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia, where it grows in woodlands and gardens in rich soil and well-rotted woody material. The fruit body of the fungus is characterised by a conical to bell-shaped cap on a stalk and a delicate lacy "skirt", or indusium, that hangs from beneath the cap and reaches nearly to the ground. First described scientifically in 1798 by French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat, the species has often been referred to a separate genus Dictyophora along with other Phallus species featuring an indusium. P. indusiatus can be distinguished from other similar species by differences in distribution, size, color, and indusium length.

<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 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>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>Handkea utriformis</i> Species of fungus

Handkea utriformis, synonymous with Lycoperdon utriforme, Lycoperdon caelatum or Calvatia utriformis, is a species of the puffball family Lycoperdaceae. A rather large mushroom, it may reach dimensions of up to 25 cm (10 in) broad by 20 cm (8 in) tall. It is commonly known as the mosaic puffball, a reference to the polygonal-shaped segments the outer surface of the fruiting body develops as it matures. Widespread in northern temperate zones, it is found frequently on pastures and sandy heaths, and is edible when young. H. utriformis has antibiotic activity against a number of bacteria, and can bioaccumulate the trace metals copper and zinc to relatively high concentrations.

<i>Pseudocolus</i> Genus of fungi

Pseudocolus is a genus of fungi in the stinkhorn family. The fruit bodies have three or four simple arms that are initially joined at the tip, but often break apart. The tips of the arms are covered with a slimy, foul-smelling gleba, which attracts insects that help disperse the spores. The genus contains three species: the type Pseudocolus fusiformis, P. garciae, similar in appearance to the type but with a pinkish to red, rather than orange color, and P. grandis, found in India.

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

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 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.

<i>Geastrum pectinatum</i> Species of fungus

Geastrum pectinatum is an inedible species of mushroom belonging to the earthstar family of fungi. Although young specimens are spherical, fruit body development involves the outer layer of tissue splitting open like a star into 7 to 10 pointed rays that eventually bend back to point downward, revealing a small – 1 to 2.5 cm broad – spore sac. The spore sac is supported by a small radially wrinkled stalk. There is a distinct conical opening (peristome) at the top of the spore sac that is up to 8 mm long. It is commonly known as the beaked earthstar or the beret earthstar, in reference to the shape of the spore sac and its prominent, protruding peristome. The mass of spores and surrounding cells within the sac, the gleba, is dark-brown, and becomes powdery in mature specimens. Spores are spherical, measuring 4 to 6 micrometers in diameter, with warts on their surfaces.

<i>Geastrum triplex</i> Species of fungus in the family Geastraceae

Geastrum triplex is a fungus found in the detritus and leaf litter of hardwood forests around the world. It is commonly known as the collared earthstar, the saucered earthstar, or the triple earthstar—and less commonly by the alternative species name Geastrum indicum. It is the largest member of the genus Geastrum and expanded mature specimens can reach a tip-to-tip length of up to 12 centimeters.

<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>Phallus calongei</i> Stinkhorn fungus from Pakistan

Phallus calongei is a species of stinkhorn mushroom. Found in Pakistan, it was described as new to science in 2009. Starting out as an "egg", the fully expanded fruit body consists of a single, thick, stipe with a cap attached to the apex and covered with olive-green, slimy spore-containing gleba. It is distinguished from other similar Phallus species by a combination of features, including a pinkish, reticulated (network-like) cap, and a stipe that is tapered at both ends. The edibility of the mushroom is unknown.

<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>Pholiota nubigena</i> Species of fungus

Pholiota nubigena, commonly known as the gastroid pholiota or the bubble gum fungus, is a species of secotioid fungus in the family Strophariaceae. It is found in mountainous areas of the western United States, where it grows on rotting conifer wood, often fir logs. It fruits in spring, often under snow, and early summer toward the end of the snowmelt period in high mountain forests. Fruit bodies appear similar to unopened mushrooms, measuring 1–4 centimetres tall with 1–2.4 cm diameter caps that are whitish to brownish. They have a short but distinct whitish stipe that extend through the internal spore mass (gleba) of the fruit body into the cap. The gleba consists of irregular chambers made of contorted gills that are brownish in color. A whitish, cottony partial veil is present in young specimens, but it often disappears in age and does not leave a ring on the stipe.

References

  1. ↑ Cannon PF, Kirk PM (2007). Fungal Families of the World. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 271. ISBN   978-0-85199-827-5.
  2. 1 2 Meyers R. (March 2004). "Pseudocolus fusiformis". MushroomExpert.Com. Retrieved 2011-07-11.
  3. ↑ Sisson, Liv; Vigus, Paula (2023). Fungi of Aotearoa: a curious forager's field guide. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books. p. 262. ISBN   978-1-76104-787-9. OCLC   1372569849.
  4. ↑ Fischer E. (1890). "Untersuchungen zur vergleichenden Entwicklungsgeschichte und Systematik der Phalloideen. I". Neue Denkschriften der allgemeinen Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die gesammten Naturwissenschaften (in German). 32: 1–103.
  5. ↑ Cunningham GH. (1944). The Gasteromycetes of Australia and New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ Penzig O. (1899). "Über javanische Phalloideen". Annales du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg (in German). 16: 133–73.
  7. ↑ Fischer E. (1900). "Untersuchungen zur vergleichenden Entwicklungsgeschichte und Systematik der Phalloideen. III". Neue Denkschriften der allgemeinen Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die gesammten Naturwissenschaften (in German). 36: 1–84.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Blanton RL. (1976). "Pseudocolus fusiformis, new to North Carolina". Mycologia . 68 (6): 1235–9. doi:10.2307/3758756. JSTOR   3758756.
  9. ↑ Lloyd CG. (1907). "Concerning the phalloides". Mycological Notes. 28: 349–64.
  10. ↑ Sumstine DR. (1916). "A new species of Colus from Pennsylvania". Mycologia. 8 (3): 183–4. doi:10.1080/00275514.1916.12018877. JSTOR   3753202.
  11. ↑ Johnson MM. (1929). "The Gasteromycetae of Ohio". Ohio Biological Survey Bulletin. 22. 4 (7): 273–352.
  12. ↑ Cunningham GH. (1931). "The Gasteromycetes of Australia. XI. The Phallales, part II". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 56: 182–200.
  13. ↑ Dring DM. (1973). "Gasteromycetes". In Ainsworth GC, Sparrow FK, Sussman AS (eds.). The Fungi; an Advanced Treatise. Vol. IVB. London, UK: Academic Press. ISBN   0-12-045604-4.
  14. 1 2 3 Blanton RL, Burk WR (1980). "Notes on Pseudocolus fusiformis". Mycotaxon. 12 (1): 225–34.
  15. ↑ "GSD Species Synonymy: Pseudocolus fusiformis (E. Fisch.) Lloyd". Species Fungorum. CAB International. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  16. ↑ Hemmes DE, Desjardin D (2002). Mushrooms of Hawai'i: An Identification Guide. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. p. 40. ISBN   1-58008-339-0.
  17. 1 2 Bessette A. (1995). Mushrooms of North America in Color: a Field Guide Companion to Seldom-illustrated Fungi. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. pp. 140–1. ISBN   0-8156-0323-1.
  18. ↑ Kuo M. (September 2006). "Clathrus columnatus". Mushroom Expert. Retrieved 2011-07-11.
  19. 1 2 Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. p. 117. ISBN   978-0-593-31998-7.
  20. ↑ Ouvrard G. (2016). "Pseudocolus fusiformis" (PDF). Bulletin de l'Association Mycologique de l'Ouest de la France . 28: 14–27.
  21. ↑ Akata I, Doğan HH (2011). "Pseudocolus fusiformis, an uncommon stinkhorn new to Turkish mycobiota". Mycotaxon. 115: 259–62. doi: 10.5248/115.259 .
  22. ↑ Kibby G. (1994). An Illustrated Guide to Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Lubrecht & Cramer Ltd. p. 158. ISBN   978-0-681-45384-5.
  23. ↑ Burk WR. (1976). "Pseudocolus javanicus in Connecticut and its distribution in the United States". Mycotaxon. 3: 373–6.
  24. ↑ McKnight VB, McKnight KH (1987). A Field Guide to Mushrooms, North America. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. p. 346. ISBN   0-395-91090-0.
  25. ↑ Lucas J. (1982). VNR Color Dictionary of Mushrooms. New York, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. pp. 30–1. ISBN   0-442-21998-9.

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