Stinkhorn/Witches Egg.
Here we have a fascinating mushroom. Stinkhorn can grow up to 25cm tall and resembles a phallus when fully emerged from the egg like structure which contains the immature fruiting body. When in it’s immature stage the mushroom is perfectly edible. It resembles a vegetable in taste rather than a mushroom. Tastes to me like a radish with a similar texture to it also. the ‘eggs’ of the unripe stinkhorn can be seen at any time of the year, but they tend to lie dormant until the summer, then fruit to late autumn.
When fully mature the Stinkhorn has a horrid smell of rotting flesh and is no longer edible. This attracts fly’s which then land on it and help spread the spores of the mushroom.
This stinky penis like mushroom is known to have anti-tumor properties, to reduce metastases in certain carcinomas, and to lower the risk of thrombosis associated with cancer.
Scientific name: Phallaceae
Happy foraging!