The Star of the Show - Aseroe rubra

he stinkiest show on earth may be the one put on by STINKHORNS, the fruiting bodies of a certain group of basidiomycete fungi. Theyre also called the phalloid fungi, in reference to their typical shape, although this species, Aseroe rubra, looks more like a sea star on a stalk, than a penis. For obvious reasons, it is called the starfish fungus, but anemone fungus is another common name. The scientific name translates to ųred disgusting thingÓ, a reference, primarily, to its foul smell.

Like other members of the Phallaceae, the starfish fungus, exudes a powerful oder of rotting flesh from the black slimy material on top. It's purpose is to attract flies, which lap up the fine slime, picking up fungal spores at the same time. Later, they will drop the spores in their feces, often in an ideal location for the growth of the fungus.

Aseroe will not be familiar to most North American biologists and biology students, because it is native to the South Pacific. Presently, it is found in abundance in Hawaii, New Zealand, parts of Australia, and some islands in between. How it has reached this wide island distribution is not known.