Mutinus caninus

It is often found growing in small groups on wood debris, or in leaf litter, during summer and autumn in Europe, Asia, and eastern North America.[1] This small member of the family Phallaceae emerges from an off-white egg-like fruiting body that lies half buried in leaf litter on the woodland floor.[5] The 'egg' has a tough outer skin (peridium), which covers a gelatinous inner layer, which in turn protects the fully formed, but unexpanded fruiting body.[6] American mycologist Sanford Myron Zeller described an albino form of the fungus based on collections made in Warrengon, Oregon.The fruit bodies of the fungus can serve as a food source for thief ants and developing blow flies (Phormia regina).
Cross section of the immature 'egg'
Scientific classificationEukaryotaBasidiomycotaAgaricomycetesPhallalesPhallaceaeMutinusBinomial nameSynonymsSowerbyKuntzeMycological characteristicshymeniumSpore printsaprotrophicwoodlandfungusleaf litteredibleMutinus TitinusPriapusdi indigetesdiminutiveWilliam Hudsondog peniscommonlymycelial cordsPhallus impudicusSanford Myron ZellerEdward Angus BurtMutinus raveneliiEuropeMutinus elegansBritainNorth Americared data listCanary IslandsGuangdongdeciduousconiferousthief antsPhormia reginaBritish Mycological SocietyArora, DavidWikidataAusFungiiNaturalistIndexFungorumMycoBankNatureServeObservation.orgSpeciesFungorum