The Lyons Share

Octopus Stinkhorn

Posted by Graeme Lyons , Sunday 26 September 2010 17:48

I twitched my first fungus today and it was totally worth it. An amazing photograph posted by Ian Seccombe of Devil's Fingers or Octopus Stinkhorn at Chailey Common was enough to get me hooked. We headed to Pound Common and Oli found them first, three specimens looking a little tired and dry compared to the specimens in Ian's shot. This alien species does indeed smell like a rotting corpse, I made the mistake of sniffing it at close quarters which resulted in me nearly hurling up my lunch. I saw many other species today including Bay Bolete, Blushing Bracket, Brown Birch Bolete, Orange-peel Fungus more Fly Agarics than I have ever seen before and some Bearded Milkcaps (bottom photo). Thanks to Oli for lending me his camera today as I left my memory card at home again!

Posted in aliens, Chailey Common, fungi, twitching

4 Response to "Octopus Stinkhorn"

this is my patch Says:

I am very pleased that someone from Sussex has found my blog. We are often out and about in the county. It will be interesting to keep in touch with your latest finds!

27 September 2010 at 10:50

Graeme Lyons Says:

I get out every day even if it's only a walk around Woods Mill. I update here on average at least once a day and most of the updates are in Sussex.

27 September 2010 at 18:24

Jackie Lane Says:

My husband and I have just found a Devil's Fingers or Octopus Stinkhorn, the first ever, on the verge of Nursery Lane, Fairwarp, East Sussex. What an amazing looking fungi.

24 October 2010 at 18:14

Graeme Lyons Says:

They sure are weird things, they look wrong. Did you have the misfortune of smelling it?

24 October 2010 at 18:42