Ok, here goes another one: this sprouted in my garden after soft afternoon rains in mid-April... very weird fungus that looked like crustacean claws or chicken feet! What in the world of worlds is this? Someone suggested it looked akin to 'stinky squid mushroom', however, i've had no replies from e-mails to mycological societies....
A most interesting growth. It intrigues me. Sure does look like a pseudocolus fusiformis (stinky squid mushroom). Check out: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pseudocolus_fusiformis.html If you want to ask Ron Meyers (author of the above) about it, his email address is pilott29@sunflower.com (he's the president of the Kaw Valley Mycological Society).
I thought it looked most like this one as well, however, when i searched it up online, i was still uncertain... most of the examples i found of pseudocolus fusiformis looked quite different than these... Here are a few more pics of the things from another angle:
Yeah, I have my doubts about Pseudocolus fusiformis as well, though I didn't spot anything that more closely resembled it. I went through the key to Stinkhorns in North America, but didn't find anything better.
Great link Michael....I got to our local Myco meetings at the Lawrence Library and have found, with other people, very interesting mushrooms growing on the actual property there. Just not these darn it...lol Great to have a name!
Usually the odor keeps anyone from trying to digest or even just taste. If children DO handle it...like with most things, just have them wash their hands. From what I've read though, you really can't get rid of once they appear? The compost in the yard will keep helping them appear until there isn't anything left that they thrive on. Lysurus mokusin is actually considred a delicacy in it's 'egg' stage by some....... (not my kind of thing)
