What a fascinating observation! You've provided an excellent description of a stinkhorn fungus in its "egg" stage. These are truly one of nature's most dramatic transformations.
Key Facts About Stinkhorns:
The "Egg" Stage:
- The immature form can sit for days or weeks before rapidly expanding
- The outer layer (peridium) is indeed gelatinous and leathery
- Inside, the entire mature structure is pre-formed, just compressed
Rapid Growth:
- Once it "hatches," a stinkhorn can grow several inches in just 1-2 hours
- This is one of the fastest growth rates in the fungal kingdom!
The Smelly Strategy:
- The gleba (slime) smells like rotting meat to attract flies and other insects
- Flies land on it, pick up the spores, and disperse them elsewhere
- It's actually a brilliant evolutionary adaptation
Common Species:
