<< Previous Next >>

Clathrus archeri


Clathrus archeri
Photo Information
Copyright: Felipe Mateo and Cristina (extramundi) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1880 W: 338 N: 4268] (13178)
Genre: Fungi
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-09
Categories: Fungi
Camera: Sony DSC-F717, Carl Zeiss 9.7-48.5, Digital ISO 100
Exposure: f/8, 1/4 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Setas de Galicia - Mushrooms from Galicia III [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-06-16 12:21
Viewed: 9430
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Clathrus archeri : Common Name: Octopus stinkhorn

This is a very interesting fungi, it is a Clatraceae, it smells very bad, in fact you can see a fly on it. This extraordinary stinkhorn looks more like a denizen of a tide pool than a fungus. With octopus-like arms, it appears to be lying in wait for an unwary visitor. The reality is less sinister, though not entirely pleasant either. The pinkish-red color and fetid odor presumably imitates decaying flesh, thus attracting flies. Like bees drawn to flowers, the flies unwittingly spread the species by picking up bits of the dark-olive spore-containing gleba.

Synonym: Lysurus archeri; Anthurus archeri; Pseudocolus archeri
Sporocarp

Fruiting body arising from a suberumpent egg, up to 5.0 cm tall, 4.0 cm in diameter, dense, white to lilac-colored rhizomorphs at the base; exoperidium glabrous, membranous, white, sometimes tinged lilac to brown, over a gelatinous under-layer; egg rupturing with elongation of four to seven slender arms, up to 9.0 cm in length, at first erect, the tips clasped, soon recurved; inner surface of arms shallowly corrugate, sordid pinkish-red, the upper two-thirds coated with a slimy, dark-olive gleba; exterior surface of arms pale-pink, wrinkled, pitted; arms fused to a short, hollow pseudostipe; context thin, fragile; odor strongly fetid at maturity; taste not investigated.

Spores 3.5-5.5 (7.0) x 1.5-2.0 µm, oblong to cylindrical, smooth, thin-walled; spores dark-olive in mass.

Habitat: Gregarious to clustered in moist, shaded gardens and plant nurseries; fruiting during the warmer months of the year; an introduced species; uncommon.

Edible in the egg stage, but of inferior quality. One of us (mgw) has tried it and found both the texture and flavor very disagreeable.

I took the info from this site.

Hope you like!

F8-1/5 sec. PP: Crop, USM 84%-R2-T14, resize, frame.
CatherineD, rdfoto, jeanpaul, Hormon_Manyer, aes_thor, LordPotty, haraprasan, Janice, elizabeth, eng55, horia, red45, cicindela, JORAPAVI has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
Fungus Kingdomingridshaul 1 06-30 06:34
To red45: Awfull.extramundi 1 06-23 09:34
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hello Felipe and Cristina,
This is an amazing fungi, well captured in its environement. The POV is unusual and very good. Very strange species with a good note. TFS,
Catherine

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 372 W: 0 N: 719] (3295)
  • [2008-06-16 12:41]

Bonjour Felipe
Trčs belle capture, excellentes couleurs et détails, sujet trčs interessant.
Amicalement Robi

Hi Filipe
Elle est superbe cette macro, bonne netteté, belles couleurs, et trčes jolie présentation.

Bravo et merci...JP

Hola Felipe,
Perfect capture of a very interesting specie. What's left from www.mycoweb.com: Clathrus archeri originates from Australia and already found in wildly on other continents like America or Europe. Local Hungarian infos: found in the Western part of our country, seems like its distribution area's growing from West to East.
Congrats and tfs, un saludo, László

Hi Filipe,
I always wanted to see this species on live, in natural enviornment. Good shot, sharp and clear, nice compo and colours, great details.
cheers
Adrian

Hi Felipe/Cristina

A great shot of a fantastic fungus! Good focus, POV and exposure. I also like the fly that is on it.

Well done!

Vinny

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2008-06-17 0:53]

Hello Felipe and Cristina - you certainly have a strange one for us here. So it's a stinkhorn, well I guess it looks prettier than it smells. . .
Very interesting, thank you
Janice

Hi Felipe and Christina,
A lovely capture of this beautiful fungi. Yes it looks like a octopus to me. Very well composed shot with excellent details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Great shot and very informative, showing us the habitat, developing form and even the fly there to transport the spores. Your exposure, focus and DOV are great. Well done!
Cheers
Elizabeth

Hi Felipe

Good to see your work again.
This is a great shot of the stinkhorn, POV and composition are excellent. Great sharpness as usual. Great work.

Chris

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1256 W: 42 N: 1976] (5892)
  • [2008-06-17 9:03]

Hi Felipe and Christina,
Very interesting capture.I'd never seen this fungi before.Colors,sharpness,details,3D effect and composition are wonderful.Excellent work!
Thanks for posting.

amazing POV, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2008-06-18 5:01]

Hi Filipe

Nice to hear and see something new from you, my friend! I hope you and Cristina are alright. How is the work on the new house going? :)

This is a great macro shot from you, presenting the rare species seen here on TN.
The details and level of sharpness is exceptional and the colors are all wonderful and superbly saturated.
The DOF is also good (maybe even a bit too much...but that's the other side when using a compact camera), but i'm sure the POV was much better than when using a SLR :))
Lovely work and nice presentation!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hi dear Felipe ,
Very nice shot with great focus.
Colours as beautiful.
Very well captured

Kins regards
Saeed

A great example of a perfect nature photo. Besides being techincally and artistically very sounds, it also gives a lot of information, it is telling a full natural (his)story. 1. Where it grows (under trees - oaks - in a park like setting), 2. How it looks like (obvious), 3. That it smells (yes you can see that - note the fly!). Thanks for sharing this one I learned a lot.
Cheers Claus

Oh Felipe!
This is just wonderful.
You've done a very centred composition which is unusual for this kind of shot,but I see why.
The little acorns look great,and show us what type of tree this fungi likes to grow under.
I know how unpleasant it is to lie down and photograph one of these.The smell is awful ... I can't believe someone tried eating it!
Exposure,colour and sharpness are all perfect as usual.
Fantstic work again.
Cheers
Steve

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2008-06-21 12:37]
  • [+]

Hello Felipe!

Old but gold! Great fungus this time, real invader from space or B-class horror movies. I read about these species a bit, but I've never seen one of them in nature. Is its smell really so bad? Colours are amazing, same as octopuss-like shape. As always very good post - picture from your old cam, story and note. Great job!

ps how is your new casa?

Hello Felipe,
It is not possible to watch your new picture last weeks, but when you are showing us something - it is always something interesting and original. This time is not exception.
I like composition (with view for the park or forest in BG), natural light and of course - colous of the species. Even a single fly can be seen on this mushroom! :)
Very interesting and informative note too.
Many thanks for showing this picture Felipe!
Friendly yours,
Radomir

Hola Felipe y Cristina,
Bellísima composición de esta seta y tan paradisíaco lugar, me gusta mucho el color y la luz tan natural que se aprecia en la toma, gracias por compartirla, un cordial saludo
José Ramón

hello Felipe

very beautiful fungi
EXTRA sharp picture

i love the foto

greeting lou

Hola Felipe and Cristina,
I was trawling TrekNature for fungi photos for my theme FUNGUS KINGDOM, when I found your fascinating Octopus stinkhorn.

Fungi are fascinating in any case, especially to me, as I live at present in one of the driest areas of South Africa, and therefore no Fungi around. But your photo presents a really interesting Fungus, and your notes are very interesting and informative.

You must have been flat on the ground to get this shot (or did you dig a hole into the ground? :-))

I am very pleased, you included so much of the environment in your photo. It adds both interest from the photographic point of view as well as helps to visualise the habitat, where you found this beauty.

The fly is just topping this wonderful testimony - it is a true pleasure to view your work.

Have a nice evening
Greetings from South Africa
Ingrid

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF