This weekend I was trying to finish several random illustrations. However, I have always wanted to draw the mushroom called the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides). A. phalloides is a California mushroom. They are gregarious under Quercus agrifolia. The oak and mushroom have a symbiotic relationship. While drawing A. phalloides, I started reading about mushrooms. If you have been following me for a while, I have always been fascinated by mushrooms and have drawn several species in the past. I have been trying to find a happy medium: pen and ink is my favorite but it is limited in truly depicting a sample specimen. I put colored highlights on the pen and ink. It's okay. I am not too thrilled. Anyway while studying super fungi and ectomychorroizal properties, I chanced upon "stinkhorns". OH MY GOODNESS!!! Amazing. The metaphorical opportunities are endless. You know while drawing these specimen I thought of a certain politician who attracts flies, just like these specimen. They stink, they have foul smelling secretions you can smell them before you see them. Flies and bugs love them and they are responsible for spreading the seeds of these stinkhorns. Ah, God has a great sense of humor.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: FungiSubkingdom: Dikarya
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Phallales
Family: Phallaceae
Genus: Lysurus
Species: L. periphragmoides
Binomial Name: Lysurus periphragmoides (Klotzsch) Dring
