a coniferous egg fungus that has me realy stumped help please

the naturelover · #1 (**permalink**) 16-09-2011, 07:40 PM

Hi.
For some weeks now I have been searching for an example of a stinkhorn in good condition. I regularly visit the sites where I found some last year but all were found chewed up and in poor condition.
However I seem to find a lot of these. Again, all in poor condition.
Can someone please put me out of my misery and tell me what they are?
in leaf litter in coniferous woods. odour of flour or mealy certainly not the stench of a stinkhorn!

"egg" on right and shot of full fungus on left.

sectioned fungus. not a stinkhorn as no outer "jelly" layer. cap appears to be about to descend and possibly gills forming. not upright as a stinkhorn. However the stipe is like a stinkhorn in that it has that "eggbox" formation

This is the underside of the cap which appears to have no gills forming.
This really has me purplexed and any clues/info would be gratefully appreciated.
regards tn.

Chris Yeates · #2 (**permalink**) 16-09-2011, 08:01 PM

hi

why isn't it Boletus edulis? It hasn't got gills because - it's a bolete (OK I know Paxillus et al. are also boletes, but you know what I mean) . . . . look at that white network

Chris

the naturelover · #3 (**permalink**) 16-09-2011, 08:41 PM

Thanks Chris.
Of course you are right. As I have said on a couple of my posts today i rarely get into pine stuff as there is very little about arround here. I got sidetracked by eggs and my quest for stinkhorns. And in fairness last week less than two foot from this spot where these were found i was looking at 3 or 4 rubbish stinkhorns. The lack of gills should have immediately set me thinking bolete but these were so young and so chewed up The Penny just did not drop.
Again my thanks for sorting me out.
regards tn.

Chris Yeates · #4 (**permalink**) 16-09-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the naturelover

. . . . The Penny just did not drop.
. . . . .
regards tn.

very good

Chris

Nick_in_Scotland · #5 (**permalink**) 17-09-2011, 07:34 AM

I've seen quite a few stinkhorns recently so hopefully your quest will be concluded soon! They often seem to like to hide away amongst fallen branches and other debris where their smell of course can give them away. Sometimes they appear to take over an entire area with no other fungi present- can make for a rather eery sight with all these strange growths in a dark forest. I keep meaning to do the experiment where you can take an egg home and "hatch" it under a jam jar.