 Mutinus elegans , commonly known as the elegant stinkhorn , the dog stinkhorn , the headless stinkhorn , or the devil 's dipstick , is a species of fungus in the Phallaceae family . A saprobic species , it is typically found growing on the ground singly or in small groups on woody debris or leaf litter , during summer and autumn in Japan , Europe , and eastern North America . The fruit body begins its development in an " egg " form , resembling somewhat a puffball partially submerged in the ground . As the fungus matures , a slender orange to pink colored stalk emerges that tapers evenly to a pointed tip . The stalk is covered with a foul @-@ smelling slimy green spore mass on the upper third of its length . Flies and other insects feed upon the slime which contains the spores , assisting in their dispersal . Due to their repellent odor , mature specimens are not generally considered edible , although there are reports of the immature " eggs " being consumed . In the laboratory , Mutinus elegans has been shown to inhibit the growth of several microorganisms that can be pathogenic to humans . 
 Mutinus elegans , commonly known as the elegant stinkhorn , the dog <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>stinkhorn</mark></a> , the headless stinkhorn , or the devil <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>dipstick , <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>a species of fungus in the Phallaceae family . A saprobic species , it is typically found growing on the ground singly or in small groups on woody debris or leaf litter , during summer and autumn in Japan , Europe , and eastern North America . The fruit body <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>begins</mark></a> its development in an " egg " form , resembling somewhat a puffball partially submerged in the ground . As the fungus <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>matures</mark></a> , a slender orange to pink colored stalk <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>emerges</mark></a> <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>that</mark></a>tapers evenly to a pointed tip . The stalk is covered with a foul @-@ smelling slimy green spore mass on the upper third of its length . Flies and other insects feed upon the slime which <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>contains</mark></a> the spores , assisting in their dispersal . Due to their repellent odor , mature specimens are not generally considered edible , although <a href='dey_it' title='9'><mark>there</mark></a> are reports of the immature " eggs " being consumed . In the laboratory , Mutinus elegans <a href='been_done' title='10'><mark>has</mark></a> been shown to inhibit the growth of several microorganisms <a href='null_relcl' title='11'><mark>that</mark></a>can be pathogenic to humans . 
Mutinus elegans , commonly known as the elegant stinkhorn , the dog stinkhorned , da headless stinkhorn , or the devil  dipstick , a species of fungus in the Phallaceae family . A saprobic species , it is typically found growing on tdaground singly or in small groups on woody debris or leaf litter , during summer and autumn in Japan , Europe , and eastern North America . The fruit body begin its development in an " egg " form , resembling somewhat a puffball partially submerged in thdaround . As thedangus mature , a slender orange to pink colored stalk emerge tapers evenly to a pointed tip . The stalk is covered w a foul @-@ smellin slimy green spore mass on the upper third of its length . Flies and other roaches feed upon the slime which contain the spores , assisting in their dispersal . Due to their repellent odor , mature specimens ain't generally considered edible , although it is reports of the immature " eggs " bein consumed . In the daoratory , Mutinus elegans done been shown to inhibit the gdath of several microorganisms can be pathogenic to humans .