Phallus impudicus. Stinking Mo^ell. 
PHALLUS Lin. Gen. FI. CryptogAmia Fungi. 
Fungus fupra reticulatus, fubtus l*vis. 
Rail. Syn. Gen. i. Fungi 
PHALLUS volvatus ftipitattis, pileo cellulofo. Link Syjl. Vegetab. p. 8zi. SpeS. Plant 1648» 
FI. Suec. n. 1261. 
PHALLUS impudicus, ScopoU FI, Cam. n. 1605. 
FUNGUS fcetidus, penis imaginem refereiis. C. B.pin. 3^4. 
PHALLUS Hollandicus Park. 1322. Rail. Hyn. p. 11. Hudfon. FI. Angl. ed. 4 . p. 629. Lightfoot. Fh Scoh 
p. 1644. FI. Dan. t. 175. Schafer Icon. Fung. t. 196. 197. 198. 
RADIX fibrofa, fibris majufculls, teretibus, albis, i 
paulo infra terram repentibus, quibus hic | 
illic accrefcunt globuli albi, qui juuam mag- 4 
nitudinem acquiliti, fupra terram eminent et | 
Volvae dicuntur. i. 2. j 
t 
VOLVA fubrotunda, bafi paululum compreffa, l^vls, | 
magnitudine pilae palmariae, alba, ponderofa, | 
tunica fatis crafla exterius tefta, cui proxime | 
fubeft gelatina qu$dam pellucida, flavo-fufca. j. 
fg - 3 - S - I 
STIPES : difrupta volva, exfurgit ftipes, craffitie pol- | 
licis, palmaris et ultra, paululum curvatus, | 
teres, albus, levis, fpongiolus, fiftulofus, utrin- ^ 
que acuminatus, Jig. 6. | 
PILEUS fubconicus, ftiplti laxe infidens, primo laevis, | 
foUdus, olivaceus, lubricus, mox fcetidiffimus, | 
cellulis materie feminiferi externe pofita ^ 
adhuc repletis, qua diffluente aut mufcis ex- | 
fufta, fuperficies externa cellulofa apparet, | 
interna parum rugofa, vertice truncato, albif- ^ 
fimo, oblongo, pervio, fg. 4. 7. 8. | 
ROOTS fibrous, the fibres large, round, white, creep- 
ing a little under the furface of the earth, to 
which grow here and there white globules or 
tubercles, which when full grown project 
above the filrface of the earth and are called 
Volvse or Eggs. 1.2, 
EGGS roundifh, a little flattened at the bafe, fmooth, 
the fize of a tennis ball, white, heavy, covered 
with an outer coat of a moderate thicknefs, 
immediately under which lies a thick mats 
of tranfpareut jelly of a yellowifti brown 
colour. 3. 5. 
STALK : on the burfting of the egg the ftalk rifes up# 
and is about the thicknefs of the thumb, 
four inches and more ill height, a little crook- 
ed, round, white, fpongy, hollow, very light 
and pointed at both ends. Jig. 6. 
CAP fomewhat conical, fitting loofely on the flalk, at 
firft fmooth, folid, of an olive colour, and 
fllppery, foon becoming highly fetid, the 
cells being as yet filled with the matter con- 
taining the feed, which flowing out or being 
eaten by flies, the outer furface appears cel- 
lular, the inner a little wrinkled, the top as 
if cut off, very white oblong and open. 
Jig. 4. 7 .8. 
IN the months of Auguft, September, and Oftober this Angular Phenomenon of the Fungus tribe makes its ap- 
Tieannce in Woods, Hedgerows, and Hedges, infome places abundantly, in others rarely, near London it has been 
found in Coombwood, and Norwood, but more plentifully in a fmall fir wood near the Spaniard Hampftead-beatb, 
before remarked for producing t\izHydnum aurifcalpium', in this wood on the 24th of September 1780 I dilcovered 
near a dozen growing within a fmall Ipace of each other, fome were full grown, others m their egg flate, nfeii 
iihnut half wav out of the ground, and when taken up appearing like fo many fmall tennis balls, vid. Jig. 2', 
feveral of thefe I carefully carried home, one which was m its greatefl perfeaion my draughtfman for the lake of 
more conveniently drawing took with him to the Spaniard (a place of entertainment on the fpoc,) but the fetoc 
fifing from it quickly pervading every part of the houfe and rendering it intolerable we were obliged to get 
’“b'?/perpendici.larly dividing with ti iharp knife one of thofc I had taken home, I was not mote ftruck with the 
heautifnl anpearance which the furface of each half exhibited, than the thick mafs of pure, traiifpareiit jelly of 
7brownlfli yellow colour, depofited betwixt two membranes, immediately under the outer furface, and which 
'"o!fi’xii\n'nS ftatefhenext morning, Iliad the fatisfaftlon toobferve that In one of them, 
the can of the^fuifpis hid juft broke through its integuments, and was pulhiiig itfelf up through the jelly, I 
thoiiE-ht this a proper opportunity of obferviiig how quick it was nuts growth, and found thM from^ the time of 
its breaking thrLgh the outer Iki.i (half paft eight o'clocki to the time that it acquired its full height a fpace 
hitervciied of about five hours, in which time it had grown three inches and three quarters ; an mftaiice of the 
auicknefsof vegetation fcarce credible, and perhaps not to be equalled bjr any q*et plant. 
^ tS Can on its firft coming forth, being covered with the jelly through which it had pafled. and being alfo of 
a light olive colour but perfeftly opakc not unaptly refembled a lump of bird-lime. A- 4 ! this appearance it 
retained 'till eleven o’clock, when in fome parts it became of a darker colour, at half paft twelve, the whole 
™ter furface of the cap was changed to a very dark olive, it now began to fmell very offen ively, flies came m o 
onm and fettled on it a little paft one, it began to diflblvc, and drop off, and the cells coiitaming this ftib- 
the room “"<1 "led a ^ ; it was now placed out of doors when the Pileus was almoft 
humedbitely covered with feveral fpecies of Flies moftly of the larger fort, who liiftead of flicking to and pcriihi.ig 
on it as related by G/eifft/cA in about two hours left the. cells petfeftly empty ■UKI.&. ^ ^ 
The d Srerable fmell arifing from the Phallus imfudkus which alone is often fufflc.ent to detea it, and from 
bVb it hfs acouired in fome parts of the kingdom the name of Stml-horns has nfually been compared to Catq 
andvenenllvcolifideredas the effefts of its putrcfaaion tome the fmell appears to be altogether /a; 
non, and S™ ' ^ , putrefaftion, at leaft a general putrefadion of the plant. it firft arifes from the 
gmtns, and I P (.pg ,be pileus, which conftitute the generic charader of the Phallus, 
fubftancebdgedinthe ceH^^ are doubtlefs incorporated, as foon as This fubftance begins to liquefy, 
ffl vW s oe ceuribk “f 
eliy w ich it Left be allowed afterwards acquires a difagreeable odour, apparently from its putrefadiou— 
■'t sll.ired bv the effluvia from the pileus, do not fettle on it, to depofit theit eggs as on the Stapeha 
the Flies allu e y to feed on it, and which they appear to do moft delicioiifly ; fcarcely ever 
fxtya^ or piitr , V ground, whence this fpecies would foon become extind, had not 
fnffering a which like the Potatoe throws out numerous offsetts. 
^"riuplantaffori nliirilhme.it not only to various fpecies of flies, but alfo to fcnails and Slugs who are ex- 
tothe top of the cap has fometimcs two perforations, isftcad of one its ufual number. 
