Scientific name: Mutinus ravenelii (Berkeley & M.A.
Curtis) E. Fischer.
Derivation of name: Mutinus was a Roman phallic
deity and
means "penis," ravenelii indicates the species
is likely (not certain) named in honor of
Henry William
Ravenel (1814-1887) a South Carolina mycologist and
botanist.
Synonyms: Corynites ravenelii Berkeley
Common name(s): Red stinkhorn.
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Order: Phallales
Family: Phallaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; solitary
to grouped
in wooded areas, on wood chips and decaying
wood in gardens, parks, lawns,
and other cultivated areas;
July through September.
Dimensions: Fruitbody 7-15 cm tall and 0.5-2.5 cm thick.
Description: Fruit body at first a white egg-like
stage
resembling a puffball. The outer wall (peridium) of the
"egg" splits and a hollow,
spongy, stalk extends outward.
The conspicuously pitted
stalk may be whitish below and
pinkish-rose above or uniformly colored.
An
abruptly
marked-off, slightly swollen zone 3-5 cm long at the
tapered
tip is
covered by a slimy, olive-brown smelly mass
of spores. The stalk
under the spore mass is dark pink
or rosy-red.
Edibility: Unknown.
Comments:
Flies are attracted to the fetid slimy mass and
serve to disperse the spores. This species and two closely
related species - M. caninus and M. elegans may be
difficult to cleanly separate from
each other. Consult
the website below for additional
comments on these
three species.
More information at MushroomExpert.com.
![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii_2011_1ReneeL.jpg)
Figure 1. Mutinus ravenelii with a pinkish, conspicuously
pitted stalk
and a more intensely pigmented zone under the
spore mass.
Photo © Renée Lebeuf.
![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii_2011_2ReneeL.jpg)
Figure 2.
Mutinus ravenelii features an abruptly
marked-off,
slightly swollen zone 3-5 cm long at the
tapered
tip covered
by a slimy, olive-brown smelly mass of spores.
Photo © Renée Lebeuf.
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![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii-33Rick-van-de-Poll.jpg)
Figure
3. Wood chips are a favorite substrate for Mutinus
ravenelii.
Photo © Rick Van de Poll.
![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii_2018_1ReneeL.jpg)
Figure
4. The remnants of the torn peridium are visible at
the left and a fly
is feeding on the spores at the right.
Photo © Renée Lebeuf.
![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii_HRL1104_1ReneeL.jpg)
Figure
5. Fruit bodies of Mutinus ravenelii often occur in
clusters.
Photo © Renée Lebeuf
![](../images/Mutinus-ravenelii_5ReneeL.jpg)
Figure 6. Mutinus ravenelii in "egg" stage, elongating, and
mature fruit body.
Photo © Renée Lebeuf.
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