Clathrus ruber    Micheli:Pers. 

common name(s) : Red Cage, Red Cage Fungus 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Phallomycetidae/Phallales/Phallaceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Gasteromycetideae/Phallales/Clathraceae  

synonyms: Clathrus cancellatus 

edibility : inedible

photo gallery of  Clathrus ruber
photo gallery of  Clathrus ruber potential confusions with  Clathrus ruber toxicity of Clathrus ruber genus Clathrus  

The fruiting body is white egg shape at first, opening and expanding soon to reveal a round red lattice emerging from the volva, the internal surface of the lattice being olive-brown and slimy, with a white volva at its base, attached to the substrate by whitish mycelial strands.

The flesh is spongy; its taste is mild; the odour is foul, of rotting meat.

The fertile surface is. The spore print is greenish yellow.

It grows on the ground, in gardens, deciduous or coniferous woods, parks, mostly in warm regions, on a rather calcareous soil.

The fruiting period takes place from June to December.
Dimensions: width of fruiting body approximately 6 cm (between 2 and 15 cm)
  total height approximately 7 cm (between 3 and 10 cm)

Distinctive features : egg-shaped at first, soon opening and expanding into a round red lattice, whose slimy internal surface is olive-brown and develops a foul odour of rotting meat

Clathrus ruber is rare and confined in the forest of Rambouillet, and is quite rare, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Clathrus ruber in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Clathrus ruber in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18