Where’s Wildlife · Mushroom Field Guide
Mutinus sp.
Pronounced (approx.): myoo-TY-nus
Capless stinkhorns identified as Mutinus. The species remains unsettled between similar orange and pink forms.
Mutinus Stinkhorns. Select the photo to browse the gallery. Photographs © Where’s Wildlife.
IDENTIFIED TO GENUS
Fruiting varies with local weather and habitat.
Spongy, finger-like fruiting body
Spore slime forms directly on the upper stalk
No structurally separate cap
Compare stalk shapes and visible structures in the photographs below.
These six photographs are labeled Mutinus sp. The genus is identified, while the exact species is unresolved. This label does not imply that every photograph shows the same species.
Mutinus elegans and M. ravenelii are possibilities. Fresh orange coloration favors M. elegans; fresh pink to red coloration favors M. ravenelii. Age-related color changes limit what these photographs can establish.
Mulch beds, gardens and woodland organic debris. Often fruits in late summer and fall.
A decomposer that emerges from an egg-like structure. Insects visit its odorous spore slime and help disperse the spores.
It indicates an unspecified species within a named genus.
Fading makes orange and pink forms harder to separate.
A separate cap suggests Phallus rather than Mutinus.
The photographs in this collection were taken in Illinois. Different Mutinus species have different distributions; the linked map shows records for the genus.
Explore reported sightings on iNaturalist. Observation records are not a complete range map.
Photographs © Where’s Wildlife.
These taller Illinois stinkhorns are kept separate from the Mutinus photographs above. The views do not clearly establish whether the slime-bearing area is a separate cap. They remain unidentified stinkhorns and are excluded from quiz questions.
Identification notes & comments
Think a photograph has a different identification? Please include its filename or describe the image, suggest a name, and explain the identifying features. Links to reliable references are welcome. Thoughtful corrections help improve this guide.
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