Octopus Stinkhorn

Woop! Woop! I found half a dozen Clathrus archeri this afternoon - commonly known as Octopus Stinkhorn this is one of the most unusual fungi in Britian and I've only ever seen it once before. This stinkhorn is indigenous to Australia and believed to have been introduced to Britain as spores in the kit of Australian troops in the first world war. When conditions are perfect the red tentacles or arms erupt from an egg-shaped body in the ground. The arms are very delicate and move around in the wind. They have black oozing spots which smell putrid. The specimens I found had recently erupted so the arms were still held together. I will revisit to see them when they open out although I know from past experience that if it rains overnight they will disappear.