Colus stinkhorns.
Division Basidiomycota > Class Agaricomycetes > Order Phallales > Family Clathraceae.
A spore deposited in the leaf litter develops into an egg from which the fruiting body emerges.
This consists of a short, pale stalk from which arise 6 to 8 red columns which branch then
rejoin to form a lattice-like dome or clathra.
The surface of the columns has a corrugated appearance.
The mature structure is about 10 cm high and collapses within 24 hours.
The whole fruiting body disappears within 2 to 3 days.
Clathrus species have a similar appearance except the arms arise directly from the base, not a stem.
J.F.