Aesroe Rubras By:Shweta

What is an aseroe rubras? An aseroe is a type of stinkhorn, it’s a smelly fungus that’s part of the clathracea family. An aseroe is a disgusting smelling, cap less mushroom that generally grows out of compost or wet mulch. They are not poisonous and are edible.

What does it look like? It begins as a partly buried whitish egg-shaped structure 3cm high. It bursts open as a hallow white stalk with reddish arms erupts and grows to a height of 10 cm. It matures into a reddish star shaped structure with six to ten arms up to 3.5 cm long. The fungus is covered with dark olive-brown slime or known as gleba, which has a revolting smell, like rotting meat. There is a cup shaped volva (a sack like thing covering at the top of the mushroom stem) at the base that it is the remnants of the original egg.

Where can it be found? This fairly common fungus is widely spread over Australia from the Southern eastern, Queensland through New South Wales and eastern Victoria and Tasmania. It also found across the islands in the pacific ocean. It also occurs in alpine grasslands and woodlands. From its natural habitat it appears to have travelled to other parts of the world in garden or soil products, it was recorded growing on soil transported from Australia in a glass house in Kew gardens in 1892 and later in California and North America. These unexplained localities cast doubt on the assumption that the species was spread from Australia and New Zealand by the agency of man.

What helps it grow? Stinkhorns occur naturally especially in subtropical and tropical regions but some stinkhorn fruiting in temperate and north temperate climates may be caused by human endeavors, resulting from the transportation of soil, sod, wood chips, trees and so on.

Does the fungus produce any eggs of any sort? Aseroe stink horns produce eggs, like a pinkish to purplish or brown egg. The egg can be up to about 3cm high, attached to the numerous rhizomorph when sliced revealing the stinkhorn to be encased in a gelatinous substance. The ragged cup-like volva forms the eggs

Why does the stink horn stink so bad? The foul-smelling slime is calculated to attract flies and other insects, who land on the slime and gobble it up. Little do the insects know that they have been duped into covering their little insect feet with stinkhorn spores, and have ingested spores into their digestive tracts. Later, these spores are dispersed by the unwitting insects, and the stinkhorn life-cycle continues else where.

How can you get rid of it for good? Steps: 1. Put disposable gloves on. Remove the reproductive stinkhorn and any nearby round white egg looking growth as these are going to be new stinkhorns soon. Secure the foul smelling removed material in a plastic bag. 2. Remove the immediate soil or medium, usually tree bark or other loose decaying plant material and also placing it into the plastic bag. 3. Tie off plastic bag securely and place with trash collection, do not place with yard waste. Alternative kill method may be carried out at this point by applying chemicals as not intend by manufacturer including bleach, fungal stain remover or other house hold disinfectants to remove stinkhorn parts, how ever this is not recommended or needed. 4. Allow the affected area to dry out or receive sunlight would be best, if this is not possible an environmentally approved fungal killer and that should keep reoccurrence at minimum.

If you do see this fungus around any where please let Mrs Rassool know or tell anyone from the environmental group. Thank you !