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Monday, November 23, 2009

Solve a mystery

I had a different post in mind for you today but no worries, I'll do that one tomorrow. This one can't wait. I'm in a tizzy of curiosity. What the hell is it?

I went out to get the mail and saw these growing in my flower bed. The beds were sadly neglected this year as we did nothing with them due to all the remodeling work outside this summer. Amidst all the old mulch, dead roots, acorns, leaves and weeds is this big orange tube smeared with gunk at the pointy tip. It's about the size of my little finger.


The stench from these strange growths is amazing.



This one had what looks to be "dead" ones next to it.




If you break one off (with a stick, ewww) they are hollow inside. Hold your breath while you look!
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Anyone have a clue? My best guess is they are some sort of fungus. I hope someone knows for sure what they are!
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Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

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37 comments:

  1. SueNovember 23, 2009 at 6:10:00 PM CST

    Mutant carrots???? My guess is that they are a type of fungus which attracts blowflies or something similar.

    ReplyDelete
  2. corinnaNovember 23, 2009 at 6:49:00 PM CST

    eeeeew
    like a possessed carrot

    nature is amazing

    ReplyDelete
  3. valerieNovember 23, 2009 at 6:53:00 PM CST

    Ewww!! It kind of looks like a carrot if you ignore that green stuff. I googled really quick and it looks like it's something called elegant stinkhorn. Hardly anything elegant about it. Yuk! I wonder how you get rid of it?

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  4. Jackie's StitchesNovember 23, 2009 at 6:56:00 PM CST

    Ewww! Stinky and slimy looking. I hope that you find out it is something GOOD!

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  5. MonsoonNovember 23, 2009 at 7:14:00 PM CST

    You have a stinkhorn fungus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinkhorn

    they have the best family name in the whole biological world Phallaceae! how cool is that? I suspect after reading the article you have one in the genus Mutinus (another cool name)

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  6. NitaNovember 23, 2009 at 7:35:00 PM CST

    Hi Daffycat - I think your strange growths are the appropriately named stinkhorns - a type of mushroom. They do have a very strong gtoss smell.

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  7. Becky K in OKNovember 23, 2009 at 7:59:00 PM CST

    So sorry, I have no clue and I've never seen anything like it either! Hope someone knows. I'm guessing it has to be aliens getting ready to give birth. Hehe.

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  8. RuthNovember 23, 2009 at 8:05:00 PM CST

    Ewww. I have no clue, but maybe you want to call Scully and Mulder?

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  9. ParsleyNovember 23, 2009 at 8:11:00 PM CST

    Yes, it is a fungus...a type of mushroom. They stink like rotten meat and flies like them. I've not identified them but I'm sure they are poisonous due to the color.

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  10. KarynNovember 23, 2009 at 8:25:00 PM CST

    I knew someone would have the answer, as I sure didn't :) I just wanted to add a "huh" and a "gross" to the list :)

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  11. JulieNovember 23, 2009 at 8:26:00 PM CST

    An Alien!!!

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  12. TheresaNovember 23, 2009 at 8:36:00 PM CST

    First I thought it's a wierd looking carrot, but it's hollow inside!!! I have to say it looks pretty disgusting...... What the hell is it????

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  13. RanaeNovember 23, 2009 at 8:39:00 PM CST

    I believe it is stinkhorn, the name sounds terrible itself, lol

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  14. MyraNovember 23, 2009 at 8:53:00 PM CST

    Ewwwww! It looks positively gross.

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  15. PumpkinNovember 23, 2009 at 9:00:00 PM CST

    I see your mystery has been solved! I was going to say it was a rotten carrot but carrot's aren't hollow ;o) LOL!

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  16. Missy AnnNovember 23, 2009 at 10:08:00 PM CST

    Weren't those from a meteor in a Stephen King book?

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  17. lennaNovember 23, 2009 at 11:08:00 PM CST

    I concur with Karyn I knew someone would know what it was. Gross ~ positively ~ Ewww ~ and Uck! I didn't have a clue except I thought it was some kind of mushroom since it was next to one. Like a blow fly has to find something else to lay it's eggs in.
    God Bless ~
    Lenna

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  18. CindyMaeNovember 24, 2009 at 1:36:00 AM CST

    Trying to get caught up here. I thought carrot at first, but I will agree with the fungi! Your Daffy Cat was simply gorgeous btw!!

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  19. ChristineNovember 24, 2009 at 2:18:00 AM CST

    Yeuch, they are like dead mutant fingers! Pretty sure its a fungus though

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  20. AnnetteNovember 24, 2009 at 4:02:00 AM CST

    eeeeeww!!! it looks ........ extrminate the orange bastards...

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  21. AngelaNovember 24, 2009 at 5:03:00 AM CST

    I thought it was a carrot when I first saw the post.

    Stitched your new reindeer yesterday, with a couple of alterations. Hopefully get it posted on my blog later. A fun little stitch.

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  22. AnnieNovember 24, 2009 at 5:48:00 AM CST

    Just don't serve them for Thanksgiving dinner!

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  23. StitchabilitiesNovember 24, 2009 at 6:10:00 AM CST

    Well I had no idea except some mutant carrot, but luckily sounds like some of the other ladies know their fungus

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  24. JulieNovember 24, 2009 at 6:16:00 AM CST

    Ewwwww how horrid, rather you than me!!! Keep well back and stay inside LOL

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  25. Carol RNovember 24, 2009 at 6:50:00 AM CST

    Yuk - it definitely looks like an alien carrot!

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  26. CarolNovember 24, 2009 at 7:00:00 AM CST

    Gosh, the things I learn from "stitching blogs" LOL--stinkhorns, who knew!!! Ewww. Yuk. Gross. Disgusting...etc.!

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  27. ClaireNovember 24, 2009 at 8:25:00 AM CST

    Ewww yuk, don't know what it is sorry.

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  28. MelNovember 24, 2009 at 9:44:00 AM CST

    Yuck, yuck!
    I hope you are able to get rid of them.

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  29. Rachel S-HNovember 24, 2009 at 10:14:00 AM CST

    Ewwww

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  30. StitcherNovember 24, 2009 at 10:46:00 AM CST

    Weird looking, but here's more pics.

    http://www.mushroomexpert.com/mutinus_elegans.html

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  31. LindsayNovember 24, 2009 at 11:09:00 AM CST

    Ewwwww my first thought was a rotten carrot but then I'm useless at gardening :)

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  32. LaineyNovember 24, 2009 at 11:50:00 AM CST

    Ewwwww they look so gross!

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  33. StitcherNovember 24, 2009 at 1:21:00 PM CST

    Neato! I have found some interesting fungi in my gardens but nothing as curious as that!

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  34. VickyNovember 25, 2009 at 12:28:00 AM CST

    Eww, looks like the worm things in the movie Dune LOL

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  35. LillieNovember 25, 2009 at 2:17:00 AM CST

    It does looked awful!! gotta be some kind of a fungus, thou I haven't seen one from where I am from...considering where I am from is full of rainforest. Do be careful thou, in case its poisonous

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  36. KaranNovember 26, 2009 at 12:29:00 PM CST

    One of Mother Nature's weirder creations for sure. LOL

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  37. AmyDecember 3, 2009 at 6:47:00 AM CST

    They stink to high heaven - I bet you put mulch in your flower bed? We have them around here. My mom has them the worst where they've put a lot of mulch. She has pulled up hundreds of them to get rid of the odor. We have had them grow in our yard here & there, and yes, they are UGLY & they stink. I know they won't hurt you if you want to pull them up - IF you can stand the stench!!!

    ReplyDelete

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