Dune Stinkhorn vs Common Stinkhorn
Phallus hadriani compared with Phallus impudicus — how to tell them apart in the field.
Dune Stinkhorn
Phallus hadriani
Edible with Caution
Common Stinkhorn
Phallus impudicus
Edible with Caution
How to Tell Them Apart
Very similar in shape and ecology, but has a white volva (not pinkish-purple). More commonly found in deciduous woodlands rather than sandy or open habitats. Both species are technically edible in the egg stage and repulsive in the mature stage.
Side-by-Side Identification
| Trait | Dune Stinkhorn | Common Stinkhorn |
|---|---|---|
| Cap | Not a traditional cap. The head (receptacle) is thimble-shaped, 2-4 cm tall, with a pitted or honeycomb-like surface beneath the gleba. Covered in dark olive-green to blackish spore slime (gleba) when fresh. Once insects remove the gleba, the white pitted surface is revealed. | Not a true cap. The tip (receptacle) is conical, honeycombed with pits and ridges, and coated in dark olive-green, foul-smelling spore slime (gleba) when fresh. Once flies remove the gleba, the white, pitted structure beneath is revealed. |
| Gills | None. Stinkhorns do not have gills. Spores are produced in the gleba, a slimy spore mass that coats the head. | No gills. Spores are produced in the gleba, the dark-green slime that coats the upper portion of the fruiting body. |
| Stem | 8-18 cm tall, 2-4 cm thick. White, spongy, hollow, and fragile. Composed of a network of chambers (like a sponge). Emerges rapidly from the egg over several hours. Base is enclosed in a pinkish-purple to lilac volva, the remnant of the original egg. | 15-25 cm tall, 3-5 cm thick. White, spongy, hollow, with a honeycomb-like texture. Fragile and lightweight despite its height. Emerges from the remains of the egg (volva) at the base. |
| Spore print | Not applicable in the traditional sense. Spores are olive-green to olive-brown within the gleba and are dispersed by insects rather than by wind. | Not applicable in the traditional sense. Spores are dispersed by insects that feed on the gleba. |
| Odor | Extremely strong, fetid, resembling rotting meat or carrion. The smell can be detected from several meters away and is the primary spore dispersal mechanism. The odor is concentrated in the gleba and fades once insects consume it. | Extremely strong, putrid, like rotting meat or sewage. Detectable from several meters away. The smell is produced by sulfur-containing compounds in the gleba designed to attract carrion flies. |
| Habitat | Saprotrophic. Found in sandy soils, coastal dunes, sandy gardens, wood chip mulch beds, and disturbed ground with buried organic matter. Prefers well-drained, sandy or loose substrates. Common in coastal areas, newly mulched landscapes, and garden borders. Also found in greenhouses and compost. | Saprotrophic in woodlands, gardens, parks, hedgerows, and mulched areas. Often found in leaf litter under deciduous and coniferous trees, especially beech and oak. Frequently appears in gardens where wood chips or bark mulch have been used. Can fruit from buried dead wood or root systems. |
| Season | Late spring through autumn, with peak fruiting in summer months (June through September). Fruits after warm rains when soil temperatures are above 15C (60F). Can appear sporadically into November in mild climates. | Summer through autumn, typically June through November. Peak season is August to October. The egg stage can persist underground for weeks before the mushroom erupts. |
Found one of these in the wild? Don't rely on memory — identify it from a photo with Orangutany and check it against both species before you touch it.