Weird toadstool

[Weedon]

Anybody know what this strange toadstool is? 

[IMG]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a372/weedonwite/ToadstoolA.jpg[/IMG]

[Cat]

Might it be a Mitrophora semilibera ?

[JMB]

Looks like a pair of secateurs to me ... [:)]

[Clair]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Looks like a pair of secateurs to me ... [:)][/quote] True, and it won't grow because it's planted the wrong way up... needs a deeper hole too...

[Weedon]

[:D][:D]  So that's where they are, who left them there?

 

Well done Cat, looks like the one doesn't it?  I know it says inedible, but if it was, which end would I start from?

[Cat]

If it is one, some people (including me) do eat them, and say they're delicious, but Roger's says otherwise and they're the experts.  In my neck of the woods they call them morillons, or black morilles. I'd never eat a mushroom on the recommendation of someone on a forum who'd only seen a photo though.

As for the the dudie in your photo, I'd definitely avoid the pointy end, could do yourself a mischief [;-)]

[Pixie Toadstool]

It's not a black morel but a stinkhorn and they are only edible when they are egg shaped:  i.e. before the phallic bit emerges.

They do really stink though don't they?  This is to attract flies which disperse the spores.

Pix [;-)]

[Cat]

Ooh err, I've just done a google image search on stinkhorn.  How rude [:$]

[Weedon]

You knew I would didn't you?  My mum would definately be shocked.  Me too as I have led a very sheltered life.

Nearby at the base of an oak tree in my garden is a cluster of white, round-shaped thingys.  I did pull one of them out of the ground to have a look at it, I can only describe it as........sort of......goes with the other one[blink]

I shall keep watch on the round ones and let you know if something emerges.

[Cat]

[quote user="Weedon"]

You knew I would didn't you?  [/quote]

I thought you might.

[odile]

definitely a stink horn and NOT a black morille! Not edlible, please don't try. by the way morilles ARE delicious but very poisonous if eaten raw.

[Jonzjob]

Looks like a bit of a phalicie to me??[8-)]

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="Jonzjob"]Looks like a bit of a phalicie to me??[8-)][/quote]

Looks like something from Ann Summers to me[Www][6]

[Jonzjob]

Who's Ann Summers. I too have lead a VERY sheltered life [6]!!

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="Jonzjob"]

Who's Ann Summers. I too have lead a VERY sheltered life [6]!!

[/quote]

Come on JJ I'm sure you can use google the same as me![:D]

[Jonzjob]

I do like ceps!![blink][Www]

[Weedon]

Another day in the life of  a S..H

[IMG]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a372/weedonwite/morefungi004.jpg[/IMG]

Fungi on the other side of the tree.

[IMG]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a372/weedonwite/morefungi003.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Pixie Toadstool]

[quote user="odile"]definitely a stink horn and NOT a black morille! Not edlible, please don't try. by the way morilles ARE delicious but very poisonous if eaten raw.

[/quote]

Actually the egg stage, as I said, is edible, according to Roger Phillips' website, as follows:

location: North America, Europe

edibility: Inedible

fungus colour: White to cream, Black or blackish

normal size: 5-15cm

cap type: Other

stem type: Volva on stem, Stem much longer than cap diameter

flesh: Mushroom has distinct or odd smell (non mushroomy), Mushroom slimy or sticky

spore colour: Light to dark brown

habitat: Grows in woods, Grows on the ground

Phallus impudicus Pers. syn. Ithyphallus impudicus (L.) Fr. Gemeine Stinkmorchel Phallus Impudique, Satyre puant, Oeuf du diable, Stinkhorn. Fruit body initially semi-submerged and covered by leaf-litter, egg-like, 3–6cm across, attached to substrate by a cord-like mycelial strand. The outer wall of the egg is white to pinkish but there is a thick gelatinous middle layer held between the membranous inner and outer layers. The egg is soon ruptured, as the white hollow stalk-like receptacle extends to 10–25cm high, the pendulous, bell-shaped head is covered by a meshwork of raised ribs covered in dark olive slime which contains the spores. This slime has a strong sickly offensive smell which attracts flies from large distances, the slime sticks to the legs of the flies and thus acts as a means of spore dispersal which takes place very rapidly, exposing the underlying mesh of the cap. Spores pale yellow, oblong, 3.5–4 x 1.5–2µ. Habitat associated with rotting wood which may be buried in the soil, in gardens and woodland. Season summer to late autumn. Very common. The egg stage, which lacks the disgusting smell, is edible though not tasty; it is said to be an aphrodisiac presumably through association with its phallic shape.

Pix [;-)]