Clathrus archeri

Clathrus archeri, commonly known as octopus stinkhorn or devil's fingers, is a species of fungus in the family Phallaceae. This species was first described in 1859 in a collection from Tasmania. The species received its current binomial name, Clathrus archeri, in 1980. The fruiting bodies undergo two stages; first it resembles a white egg, and it later hatches into four to six arms, which can reach 10 cm (4 in) in length. The arms are pinkish-red in colour and are covered with a dark-olive spore-bearing gleba. In maturity, the fruiting bodies smell like rotten meat, which attracts flies and other insects to the gleba on the arms to then spread the spores. Clathrus archeri is edible, but the reception of the taste has been varied. C. archeri's native distribution range is disputed. It is known to be found in Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The fungus has since been spreading to other continents, such as Europe, North America, and South America. It can potentially be considered an in......read more on Wikipedia.