Phallus indusiatus

Phallus indusiatus

Phallus indusiatus is a fungus in the family Phallaceae, or stinkhorns. First described scientifically in 1798 by French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat. The fruit body of the fungus is characterised by a conical to bell-shaped cap. It is found in southern Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia.

About Phallus indusiatus in brief

Summary Phallus indusiatusPhallus indusiatus is a fungus in the family Phallaceae, or stinkhorns. First described scientifically in 1798 by French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat. The fruit body of the fungus is characterised by a conical to bell-shaped cap on a stalk. It is found in southern Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia, where it grows in woodlands and gardens in rich soil and well-rotted woody material. An edible mushroom featured as an ingredient in Chinese haute cuisine, it is used in stir-frys and chicken soups. The mushroom also contains various bioactive compounds, and has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. It has a recorded history of use in Chinese medicine extending back to the 7th century AD, and features in Nigerian folklore. P.  indusiatus can be distinguished from other similar species by differences in distribution, size, color, and indusium length. Mature fruit bodies are up to 25 cm tall with a conicals-to-bell- shaped cap that is 1.5–4 cm  wide. The cap is covered with a greenish-brown spore-containing slime, which attracts flies and other insects that eat the spores and disperse them. The former generic name Dictyophora is derived from the Greek words φέξ,  ίξ and φτέ, and means veil-bearing.

The specific epithet Phallus luteus is based on its appearance, including long net stinkhorn, crinoline stinkhorn and veil-bridal lady. The species is now known again by its original name, Phalus lutus, which means ‘bamboo pith’ or ‘long net mushroom’ It is grown commercially and commonly sold in Asian markets, and is popular in China and other Asian countries. A form with a pink-colouredindusium was reported by Vincenzo de Cesati in 1879 as Hymenophallus roseus, and later called DictYophora indusiata f  rosea by Yosio Kobayasi in 1965. A taxon described in 1936 as Dictiophora lutea and variously known for years as Dictyophileia flutea f. aurantiaca was transferred to Ph allus in 2008. It was formally formally formally renamed in 2008 as a distinct species, Phalus luteus fantiacus. It can be found in Kew, Australia, as well as other parts of the world, such as South Africa and the U.S. The fungus has many common names including bamboo pith, long net stinkhorn, veil bridal lady, bamboo pith, and bamboo cinnabarinus. The Japanese name for the species is  wearing angarmentus.