Ileodictyon cibarium

[ Basidiomycetes > Phallales > Phallaceae > Colus . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Ileodictyon cibarium is primarily known from New Zealand and Australia, though it has been recorded in Chile (and in Africa and in England as an introduced organism). It is a stinkhorn, but it might better be labeled a "stink cage," since there isn't anything horn-like about it. Clathrus ruber and similar species of Clathrus also form cage-like structures, but they remain rooted to the substrate; Ileodictyon cibarium detaches itself from its base. Additionally, its branches are whitish and thin rather than thick and red to orange.

I have no information on the edibility of Ileodictyon cibarium.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously; in woods or in cultivated areas; year-round in tropical and subtropical areas; New Zealand, Australia, and Chile (introduced in East Africa and Europe).

Fruiting Body: Initially a whitish "egg" up to 7 cm across, attached to white cords; rupturing, with the mature fruiting body emerging as a more or less round, cage-like structure, 5-25 cm across, forming 10-30 polygons; arms about 1 cm in diameter, not thickened at the intersections, white underneath the olive brown spore slime; the egg tissue creating a whitish volva, but the mature structure detaching from it.

Microscopic Features: Spores 4-6 x 2-2.5 µ; cylindrical; smooth.

REFERENCES: Tulasne, 1844. (Saccardo, 1888; Dring, 1980.) I have not collected this mushroom.

© MushroomExpert.Com

Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2008, July). Ileodictyon cibarium. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ileodictyon_cibarium.html