Basket Stinkhorn Maushroom

Phallus merulinus (Berk.) Cooke has expanded from solitary basidiocarp (egg), partially embedded in soil or decomposing leaf litter, subglobose, 2.6x3.2 cm, egg white, 0.1cm thick elastic volva attached to substrate with conspicuous 2-3 white rhizomorphs (4–6x0.1–0.2 cm) and mature basidiocarp 10.6cm high. Gleba (cap) yellowish-grey, subglobose, 2.6x2.9 cm, with or without volval remnants, lower margin wavy, incurved towards the stipe, apex round to conical with an apical pore (which opens up widely later), sticky, gelatinous, surface smooth and partially undulate. Indusium (basket) white, semielastic and forming polyhedral to round net, 9.4cm in diameter, margin wavy and hangs down to two-thirds of the stipe. Stipe (stalk) white, pitted, cylindrical to partially fusoid, slightly tapering at apex with bulbous base, 9.2x2.3 cm, hollow, spongy and wall composed of chambers partially opened outwards. Partial veil white, inconspicuous on the stipe. Volva egg white outside, light caramel inside, 3.2x3.8 cm. Basidiospores long-ellipsoid, 2.9–3.5x0.8–1.3 μm, subhyaline and smooth.