Nature is an amazing thing. I’m seeing more of these fungi growing out of the mulch in our garden. Some searching online revealed that they are Aseroe rubra, more commonly known as Anemone Stinkhorn or Starfish Fungus.
They omit a foul smell that attracts flies through the black, sticky, spore bearing substance that can be seen at the base of each arm. The flies injest and trample the spores which they subsequently distribute further afield, thus spreading and helping to propagate the fungi.
