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Stinkhorn Fungus

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nature2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mesmerizing Time-Lapse: The Staggering Growth and Decay of a Phallic Mushroom"

A timelapse video captured the short but impressive life cycle of a phallic mushroom known as the stinkhorn fungus. The mushroom, resembling a penis, emerges from balls that hang around like human genitalia. The mature fungus bursts forth at a rapid rate, covered in a green-brown jelly that smells like rotting corpses. This adaptation helps the fungus disperse its spores through carrion-feeding flies and other invertebrates. The video shows the mushroom attracting flies before collapsing down in a flaccid heap, successfully dispersing its spores for further growth.

via IFLScience|

#dispersal-mechanism #fruiting-body #nature

science2 years ago•2 min saved

Fascinating Time-lapse of Slime-Covered, Rotting Flesh-Scented Penis Mushroom's Growth and Decay

Scientists have captured a mesmerizing time-lapse video showing the birth and decay of a penis-shaped mushroom known as the stinkhorn fungus. The mushroom, which emits a foul smell similar to decomposing flesh, grows near rotting wood and plants. The video shows the mushroom emerging from its base and growing to its full size within three hours. Flies are attracted to the mushroom's putrid smell and feast on its slime for 10 hours, stripping it of its olive-brown cover. The remaining white body then begins to rot before eventually decomposing and disappearing back into the ground. This short life cycle allows the stinkhorn fungus to complete its reproductive cycle by dispersing its spores through the excrement of flies and other invertebrates.

via Livescience.com|

#decay #mushroom #reproductive-cycle