Pseudocolus fusiformis
Encyclopedia
Pseudocolus fusiformis is a stinkhorn mushroom in the Phallaceae family, a family well-known for a remarkable range of fruit body types. It is the most widely distributed member of the genus Pseudocolus
and has been found in the United States, Australia, Japan, Java, and the Philippines. It is commonly
known as the stinky squid, 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 spore
s.
wrote a description based on a painting he found in the Paris Museum of Natural History. 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. 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, 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. Despite his doubts on the validity of his description, his original naming is both legitimate and has priority
over C. javanicus.
In 1907, Curtis Gates Lloyd
described the new genus Pseudocolus
, and reduced several species to synonyms of Pseudocolus fusiformis. The first North American description of this species (as Colus schellenbergiae) was in 1916 by Sumstine; Johnson later (1929) transferred this to Pseudocollus schellenbergiae. Although Cunningham (1931) revised the genus Anthurus
to include members of Pseudocolus, Dring in 1973 considered the genera to be distinct. Up until the appearance of an extensive study published in 1980, 13 different binomials had been used in the literature to name the species.
, and a spore mass known as a gleba
.
The mature fruiting body is typically 3 to 6 cm (1.2 to 2.4 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 (0.393700787401575 to 1.4 in) in height, and 0.5 to 2.5 cm (0.196850393700787 to 0.984251968503937 in) thick at the widest diameter. The 3 or four arms extending from the stipe average 3.6 centimetres (1.4 in) in length (ranging from 1 to 13 cm (0.393700787401575 to 5.1 in), 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", attracts insects that help to disperse the spores.
The spore
s are elliptical or ovoid, smooth, translucent (hyaline
), with dimensions of 4.5–5.5 by 2–2.5 µm
. The basidia, the spore-bearing cells, are attached to 6–8 sessile
spores.
or Mutinus caninus
are considered to be edible (or even delicacies) in the immature egg stage; however, the foul smell of stinkhorns at maturity would likely deter most individuals from eating them.
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.
in gardens or for landscaping; Blanton has also reported it growing in a garden "solitary and very large".
Pseudocolus fusiformis has been collected from a variety of locations worldwide, including Australia
, Japan
, Java
, the Philippines
, Reunion Island, the United States, and Turkey
. In the continental United States, it was first collected collected in Pittsburgh in 1915,; since then it has been found in Connecticut
, Georgia,(South Carolina) Louisiana
, Florida
, Massachusetts
, New Jersey
, New York
, North Carolina
, Rhode Island
, and Tennessee
; it has also been found in Hawaii
. It is thought to have been introduced to North America from southeast Asia.
Pseudocolus
Pseudocolus is a genus of fungi in the Phallaceae family....
and has been found in the United States, Australia, Japan, Java, and the Philippines. It is commonly
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the stinky squid, 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
Gleba
Gleba is the fleshy spore-bearing inner mass of fungi such as the puffball or stinkhorn.The gleba is a solid mass of spores, generated within an enclosed area within the sporocarp. The continuous maturity of the sporogenous cells leave the spores behind as a powdery mass that can be easily blown away...
covering the inside faces of the arms, and attracts insects that help to disperse the spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s.
Taxonomy
The first appearance of this species in the literature was in 1890, under the name Colus fusiformis, when Eduard FischerEduard Fischer (mycologist)
Eduard Fischer was a Swiss botanist and mycologist.-Life:Fischer was the son of botanist Ludwig Fischer, a professor and director of the state botanic garden. Fischer studied at the University of Bern and graduated in 1883 with mushroom researcher Heinrich Anton de Bary in Strasbourg, with whom...
wrote a description based on a painting he found in the Paris Museum of Natural History. In his 1944 monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on the Gasteromycetes of Australia and New Zealand, Gordon Herriot Cunningham considered this naming to be a nomen nudum
Nomen nudum
The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
—not published with an adequate description. 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, 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. Despite his doubts on the validity of his description, his original naming is both legitimate and has priority
Principle of Priority
thumb|270px|Boa manditraIn zoology, the scientific study of animals, the Principle of Priority is one of the guiding principles of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, defined by Article 23....
over C. javanicus.
In 1907, Curtis Gates Lloyd
Curtis Gates Lloyd
Curtis Gates Lloyd was an American mycologist known for both his research on the Gasteromycetes, as well as his controversial views on naming conventions in taxonomy. He had a herbarium with over 59,000 fungal specimens, and published over a thousand new species of fungi...
described the new genus Pseudocolus
Pseudocolus
Pseudocolus is a genus of fungi in the Phallaceae family....
, and reduced several species to synonyms of Pseudocolus fusiformis. The first North American description of this species (as Colus schellenbergiae) was in 1916 by Sumstine; Johnson later (1929) transferred this to Pseudocollus schellenbergiae. Although Cunningham (1931) revised the genus Anthurus
Anthurus
Anthurus is a genus of fungi in the family Phallaceae.-External links:*...
to include members of Pseudocolus, Dring in 1973 considered the genera to be distinct. Up until the appearance of an extensive study published in 1980, 13 different binomials had been used in the literature to name the species.
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 (0.196850393700787 to 0.984251968503937 in) diameter; the top surface is broken into small regions by cracks or crevices (areolate). As the fungus matures, the fruiting body cracks open and forms a stalk with tapering arms, a volvaVolva (mycology)
The volva is a mycological term to describe a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil. This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification due to it being an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature which frequently signifies a...
, and a spore mass known as a gleba
Gleba
Gleba is the fleshy spore-bearing inner mass of fungi such as the puffball or stinkhorn.The gleba is a solid mass of spores, generated within an enclosed area within the sporocarp. The continuous maturity of the sporogenous cells leave the spores behind as a powdery mass that can be easily blown away...
.
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
. 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 (0.393700787401575 to 1.4 in) in height, and 0.5 to 2.5 cm (0.196850393700787 to 0.984251968503937 in) thick at the widest diameter. The 3 or four arms extending from the stipe average 3.6 centimetres (1.4 in) in length (ranging from 1 to 13 cm (0.393700787401575 to 5.1 in), and wrinkled on the side bearing the gleba. The arms, which are joined at the top, are shaped like a lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
(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", attracts insects that help to disperse the spores.
The spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s are elliptical or ovoid, smooth, translucent (hyaline
Hyaline
The term hyaline denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.-Histopathology:In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material...
), with dimensions of 4.5–5.5 by 2–2.5 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. The basidia, the spore-bearing cells, are attached to 6–8 sessile
Sessility (botany)
In botany, sessility is a characteristic of plants whose flowers or leaves are borne directly from the stem or peduncle, and thus lack a petiole or pedicel...
spores.
Edibility
Although not considered poisonous, P. fusiformis is not recommended for consumption. Some related species such as Phallus impudicusPhallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus, known colloquially as the common stinkhorn, is a widespread fungus 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 western North America, where it...
or Mutinus caninus
Mutinus caninus
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...
are considered to be edible (or even delicacies) in the immature egg stage; however, the foul smell of stinkhorns at maturity would likely deter most individuals from eating them.
Similar species
The stinkhorn species Clathrus columnatusClathrus columnatus
Clathrus columnatus, commonly known as the column stinkhorn, is a saprobic species of basidiomycete fungus in the family Phallaceae. It has a widespread distribution, and has been found in Africa, Australasia, and the Americas. It may have been introduced to North America with exotic plants...
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.
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 mulchMulch
In agriculture and gardening, is a protective cover placed over the soil to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth and seed germination. Mulching in gardens and landscaping mimics the leaf cover that is found on forest floors....
in gardens or for landscaping; Blanton has also reported it growing in a garden "solitary and very large".
Pseudocolus fusiformis has been collected from a variety of locations worldwide, including Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Reunion Island, the United States, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In the continental United States, it was first collected collected in Pittsburgh in 1915,; since then it has been found in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Georgia,(South Carolina) Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
; it has also been found in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It is thought to have been introduced to North America from southeast Asia.