Phallus duplicatus (Bosc) E. Fisch. 1888 (Dictyophora duplicata)
is arguably one of the more beautiful of the phallic-shaped stinkhorns, if only because it sports a white lacy veil, which in this photo rests flatly against the stipe, but is frequently flaring like an A-line skirt. It emerges from its rather substantial egg-like covering and projects upward to ensure the carrion-smelling gleba attracts insects, which spread the spores through contact. The head of this stinkhorn is chambered. The stalk is hollow on the inside and sponge-like on the outside. In the button stage, it is edible. Like the other stinkhorns of the northeast, it appears in summer and autumn after rains in forest humus.
It is in the Phallaceae family of the Phallales order.
Phallus duplicatus (Dictyophora duplicata) in its egg stage.
Phallus duplicatus (Dictyophora duplicata) with the gleba completely eaten. On occasion mushroom hunters are fooled into believing they have found a bleached-out morel in autumn on seeing this on the forest floor!