Identification: weird voodoo chicken foot looking fungus!

Discussion in 'Fungi, Lichens and Slime Molds' started by maximus23, May 26, 2007.

  1. maximus23

    maximus23 Member

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    Ok, here goes another one: this sprouted in my garden after soft afternoon rains in mid-April... very weird fungus that looked like crustacean claws or chicken feet! What in the world of worlds is this? Someone suggested it looked akin to 'stinky squid mushroom', however, i've had no replies from e-mails to mycological societies....
     

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  2. Rosie

    Rosie Member

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  3. maximus23

    maximus23 Member

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    I thought it looked most like this one as well, however, when i searched it up online, i was still uncertain... most of the examples i found of pseudocolus fusiformis looked quite different than these... Here are a few more pics of the things from another angle:
     

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  4. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Yeah, I have my doubts about Pseudocolus fusiformis as well, though I didn't spot anything that more closely resembled it. I went through the key to Stinkhorns in North America, but didn't find anything better.
     
  5. KimS

    KimS Member

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    I have this exact same chicken fungus in my yard.
     
  6. C.Wick

    C.Wick Active Member

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    Do the...er...toes? open up at all or do they stay touching?
     
  7. KimS

    KimS Member

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    They open up. I can post a couple of pics if I can figure out how
     
  8. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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  9. KimS

    KimS Member

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    Thank you Michael, this is it exactly.
     
  10. C.Wick

    C.Wick Active Member

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    Great link Michael....I got to our local Myco meetings at the Lawrence Library and have found, with other people, very interesting mushrooms growing on the actual property there.
    Just not these darn it...lol
    Great to have a name!
     
  11. KimS

    KimS Member

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    Are these thing dangerous to touch. There are kids that play in the yard. Do I need to be concerned?
     
  12. C.Wick

    C.Wick Active Member

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    Usually the odor keeps anyone from trying to digest or even just taste.
    If children DO handle it...like with most things, just have them wash their hands.
    From what I've read though, you really can't get rid of once they appear? The compost in the yard will keep helping them appear until there isn't anything left that they thrive on.
    Lysurus mokusin is actually considred a delicacy in it's 'egg' stage by some....... (not my kind of thing)
     

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