Devil's fingers
Clathrus archeri · 章鱼鬼笔
Occasional鬼笔科❓ Edibility Unknown
Edibility is unknown and should be treated as poisonous.
The same species can be described differently across regions and stages of maturity, and countless look-alike species cannot be told apart by eye. Never use the information on this page to judge whether a real mushroom is safe to eat.
How to Tell
- Bright red, tentacle-like arms that spread out starfish-like
- Inner surface of the arms bears a black, foul-smelling spore mass
- Emerges from a white "egg"; grows in wood chips and lawns
ID notes are compiled by AI from public sources, not reviewed by a mycologist, for learning only — never a basis for foraging.
Basics
- Family
- 鬼笔科
- Hymenium
- Gleba
- Grows On
- Leaf Litter
- How Big
- 5–15 cm (overall size)
- Encounter Rate
- Occasional
- Habitat
- Grassland and mulch at woodland edges
Easily Confused With
Red cageBright red, cage-like lattice, stemlessFun Fact
Native to Australia and New Zealand, it hitched a ride to Europe with military supplies during World War I; once hatched, it spreads four to seven bright red arms, like an upturned octopus.