This phallic fungus also smells like rotting flesh
The elegant stinkhorn, also known as devil's dipstick, is a fungus found primarily in eastern North America. It is notable for its phallic shape and the foul odor it emits, reminiscent of rotting flesh, which helps attract insects for spore dispersal. Despite its unpleasant smell, the fungus is not harmful to humans and is not poisonous.
- ▪The elegant stinkhorn can grow to about four to six inches tall and lasts only a day or two before subsiding.
- ▪Its dark and slimy coating, called gleba, emits a stench that attracts insects to aid in spore distribution.
- ▪The fungus is commonly found in gardens, mulch beds, forests, and wood debris during warm and wet weather.
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| Original publisher | Popular Science |
| Canonical URL | https://www.popsci.com/environment/phallic-fungus-rotting-flesh/ |
| Publication time | Tue, 26 May 2026 16:04:00 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-26T20:12:54.108Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-26T20:12:54.108Z |
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| Cluster | i0ppO9E7YmLL |
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Also called devil’s dipstick, this native fungi are found in most of eastern North America. Erin Huggins/USFWS Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Email address Sign up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Animals are not the only stinky living things on this planet. The putrid corpse flower blooms with the stench of rotting flesh, as does the lesser-known (but equally pungent) Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis. Then there is the elegant stinkhorn (Mutinus elegans), a fungus known for its phallic appearance and spores that give off the odor of rotting meat. Also called the devil’s dipstick, elegant stinkhorns are found across most of eastern North America, particularly from spring to the earliest days of winter.
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