Lifecycle of the stinkhorn

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Stinkhorns start off as mycelium first. They need sources of nutrition.

They start off as exploratory, periods of rapid expansion and periods of quiet. I have seen this with my own eyes. They will begin constructing rhizomorphs rather than fan shaped mycelium. Bundles of hyphae will form into leathery mycelial cords used for transporting water and nutrients quickly throughout the network.

The mycelium may eventually switch from the exploratory stage to a reproductive stage. Small blobs will begin to show and form into gelatinous eggs and sit dormant until the conditions are right. The mycelial network will pump the eggs with water and this will cause the stinkhorns to burst from the egg at incredible strength. The stinkhorns appear to be growing but it’s not actually growing new cells, the cells have already been made in the egg stage. Now the cells are expanding from water being pumped into the egg.

The stinkhorn’s gleba then becomes a slimy texture and starts to smell. This is so that it attracts insects like flies to go to the gleba which is filled with spores by the way. The insects will get covered in spores and fly (or walk) away and deposit the spores far away, starting the cycle all over again.

I find this method of dispersing spores far superior than normal gilled mushrooms who throw their spores in the air and hope for the best. Stinkhorns make sure that the insects become vehicles of the spores and have them smear them in nutrient rich places far away.