What is this?

[cluelessman]

Hello,

I am hoping someone on this site can help me.* I think I may have found something special but I am too ignorant to know.* My wife found this strange plant in our back yard and I can't find any info on it.* Have you ever seen something like this before.* I seem unable to attach a photo.* It has reddish orange spongy tentacles and appears to grow from a pale, whit bulb just a few inches underground.* The odor is extremely unique and can be noticed even from outside sealed ziplock baggies.* I appreciate any help you can offer identifying this thing.* Thanks.

*

Rolando

[Newt]

Hi Rolando,

Sounds like one of the stinkhorn fungi.* They are related to mushrooms and are harmless.* I wouldn't recommend eating it until you know exactly which one it is.* :?* A picture would surely help.* If you have one in your computer please post it or go to a free site like photobucket.com and post it there with a link to here.

Here's some that may be what you see.

Giant stinkhorn
http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/fungi/...ae/phall05.htm

Yellow stinkhorn
http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/fungi/...ae/phall09.htm

Kings crown
http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/fungi/family/phallaceae/phall04.htm'
http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/fungi/...ae/phall08.htm

Stinky Squid
http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseof...ms/stinky1.jpg

Maybe it's some type of club or coral mushroom.
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clubscorals.html

Here's some very interesting stinkhorns.
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/stinkhorn_fame.html

Newt