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Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), whole fruiting body
Stu's Images · CC BY-SA 3.0
Inedible

Dog stinkhorn

Mutinus caninus · Phallaceae

The dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus) is a slender stinkhorn with a spongy, pale orange stem that rises from a white "egg" among leaf litter and rotting wood.

Last updated: Prepared by the Poros Mantar editorial team7 sources checkedReport a correction

FamilyPhallaceae
SeasonApr, Jul–Nov
Spore printNo spore print is taken; the spores are in the olive-brown slime
Height1–2 cm
Stem length10–12 cm
Records in Turkey7 records
CultivationWild only
StatusInedible

The dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus) is a slender stinkhorn with a spongy, pale orange stem that rises from a white "egg" among leaf litter and rotting wood. The stem tip is orange-red and coated in a foul-smelling olive-brown spore slime that draws flies. It is not known to be poisonous, but it is not eaten, and at the egg stage it can be mistaken for young deadly mushrooms.

Also called: dog's stinkhorn Turkish: Mutinus caninus

Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), whole fruiting body

How to recognise it

Dog stinkhorn, part by part

No ring Spore print: No spore print is taken; the spores are in the olive-brown slime Foul and carrion-like when mature, though milder than the common stinkhorn.

Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), cap seen from above
CapThere is no separate cap. The top 1–2 cm of the stem is orange-red and, when mature, covered in sticky, foul-smelling olive-brown spore slime; once flies have eaten the slime the tip stays bright orange.
Club surfaceNo gills or pores; the spores are carried in the sticky slime at the tip.
Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), stem and stem base
Stem10–12 cm tall and about 1 cm thick, slender and slightly curved; hollow, spongy and pitted, pale yellow to pale orange.
Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), volva (cup) at the stem base
Volva — the cup at the basePresent: the stem rises from a white, egg-shaped sac (volva) that stays at the base. The egg is 2–3 cm and contains a jelly layer.

When and where

Apr, Jul–Nov

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Aprin season
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Julin season
  8. Augin season
  9. Sepin season
  10. Octin season
  11. Novin season
  12. Dec

The dog stinkhorn appears in summer and autumn. Our Turkish records fall in April, July, October and November, most in October. The first Turkish record, from Artvin, was collected in August.

Type Inedible

Months seen AprilJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovember

Colour Orange

Regions Black Sea RegionMediterranean RegionMarmara RegionOsmaniyeSamsunIstanbul

Where does dog stinkhorn grow?

Deciduous and mixed woodland, among leaf litter, rotting wood and woody debris; sometimes in wood chips in parks and gardens. It grows singly or in small groups.

Where is dog stinkhorn found in Turkey?

Our map data (GBIF and iNaturalist) holds 7 Turkish records: 5 from Istanbul and one each from Osmaniye and Samsun. It was first reported for Turkey from Artvin (Demirel and Uzun, 2004) and later from new sites in the eastern Black Sea region (Anatolian Journal of Botany, 2019).

Which months

  1. Jan0
  2. Feb0
  3. Mar0
  4. Apr2
  5. May0
  6. Jun0
  7. Jul1
  8. Aug0
  9. Sep0
  10. Oct3
  11. Nov1
  12. Dec0

3 provinces, 7 observations (GBIF, iNaturalist); months from observation dates. Record density also reflects where observers work.

Latest dog stinkhorn observations

On "illustrative" cards the image is a photo of the species; the observation photo cannot be shown here because of its licence, but can be seen at the source.

Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), in its natural habitat
In its habitat

Look-alikes

What could it be confused with?

Dog stinkhorn can be mistaken for the species below. Each card shows the look-alike and how it differs from Dog stinkhorn.

Dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus), whole fruiting body
This species Dog stinkhorn
Common stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus), whole fruiting body Inedible

not Dog stinkhorn

Common stinkhorn Phallus impudicus

The common stinkhorn is much larger and white; its spore slime sits on a separate honeycombed cap on top of the stem and it smells far stronger. The dog stinkhorn is slender, orangey and has no cap.

No licensed photo yet Inedible

not Dog stinkhorn

Elegant stinkhorn Mutinus elegans

The elegant stinkhorn is taller with a pointed tip, its orange colour deepening gradually towards the tip, and its spore slime covers a longer part of the stem. The two are not always cleanly separable.

Death cap (Amanita phalloides), whole fruiting body Deadly

not Dog stinkhorn

Death cap Amanita phalloides

At the egg stage, the dog stinkhorn and a young death cap both look like a white ball. Cut lengthwise, a stinkhorn egg shows a jelly layer and a stem in the making; a death cap egg shows cap, gills and stem and has no jelly. Never eat white egg-like fungi.

Common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum), whole fruiting body Edible species

not Dog stinkhorn

Common puffball Lycoperdon perlatum

A young puffball is white and uniform all the way through, with no jelly layer, and its skin is covered in tiny spines. A stinkhorn egg is smooth and shows jelly when cut.

What it contains

It has no culinary value; mature fruit bodies smell foul.

General information, not a health claim.

The dog stinkhorn is not known to be poisonous; some sources say the egg stage can be eaten, but most treat it as inedible because of its smell and lack of value. The real risk is confusing the white egg stage with young deadly Amanita species. Do not eat it. If poisoning is suspected, call poison control and keep any leftover mushroom.

Frequently asked questions

Is the dog stinkhorn edible?

Our advice is not to eat it. It is not known to be poisonous, but it smells foul and its egg stage can be mistaken for young deadly mushrooms.

Is the dog stinkhorn poisonous?

Sources give no record of it being poisonous. The risk lies in confusing it with its look-alikes rather than in the species itself.

Why does the dog stinkhorn smell?

The sticky spore slime on the tip smells of carrion and attracts flies, which spread the spores as they feed on it.

What does the dog stinkhorn egg look like?

It looks like a soft, white egg 2–3 cm across with white root-like cords at the base. Cut open, it shows a jelly layer and an orangey stem in the making.

How do you tell it from the common stinkhorn?

The common stinkhorn is large and white, with its spore slime on a separate honeycombed cap. The dog stinkhorn is slender, orangey and capless, and smells less strongly.

Where and when does it grow?

In deciduous and mixed woodland among litter and rotting wood, in summer and autumn.

Where is it found in Turkey?

Our map data has 7 records from Istanbul, Osmaniye and Samsun; the first Turkish record came from Artvin.

Does it have a Turkish name?

We found no established, sourced Turkish name, so we use its Latin name. It belongs to the stinkhorn group.

What is the elegant stinkhorn?

The elegant stinkhorn is Mutinus elegans, a close relative of the dog stinkhorn that is common in eastern North America. It is longer and more tapered, with its pink-orange colour running further down the stem. The species we describe on this page is Mutinus caninus.

When is dog stinkhorn season in Turkey?

In our calendar, dog stinkhorn season runs Apr, Jul–Nov. The dog stinkhorn appears in summer and autumn. Our Turkish records fall in April, July, October and November, most in October. The first Turkish record, from Artvin, was collected in August.

Where does dog stinkhorn grow?

Deciduous and mixed woodland, among leaf litter, rotting wood and woody debris; sometimes in wood chips in parks and gardens. It grows singly or in small groups.

Where is dog stinkhorn found in Turkey?

Our map data (GBIF and iNaturalist) holds 7 Turkish records: 5 from Istanbul and one each from Osmaniye and Samsun. It was first reported for Turkey from Artvin (Demirel and Uzun, 2004) and later from new sites in the eastern Black Sea region (Anatolian Journal of Botany, 2019).

What can dog stinkhorn be confused with?

Dog stinkhorn can be confused with common stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus, inedible), elegant stinkhorn (Mutinus elegans, inedible), death cap (Amanita phalloides, deadly) and common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum, edible species). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

What is dog stinkhorn called in Turkish?

In Turkish, dog stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus) is called Mutinus caninus.

Related species

All species → · Identify by photo →

Sources

  1. Demirel ve Uzun (2004), Turkish Journal of Botany 28: Two New Records of Phallales for the Mycoflora of Turkey journals.tubitak.gov.tr
  2. Anatolian Journal of Botany (2019) 3(2): Türkiye'deki Phallales'lerin yayılışına katkılar dergipark.org.tr
  3. Wikipedia (EN): Mutinus caninus en.wikipedia.org
All sources (7)
  1. First Nature: Mutinus caninus, Dog Stinkhorn first-nature.com
  2. iNaturalist: Mutinus caninus (Türkiye gözlemleri) inaturalist.org
  3. GBIF: Türkiye kayıtları gbif.org
  4. MushroomExpert: Mutinus caninus mushroomexpert.com
Photo credits (10)