Wichat Lakbaan of Soi Tanuthep, Chalong, raised the alarm by calling Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers about the white mushroom, about five centimetres wide and about 10cm long, asking whether or not the fungi were poisonous.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, so I took a picture and sent it to Kusolharm and all my friends to help me identify this strange species,” Ms Wichat said.
Officers from the Khao Prataew Nature and Wildlife Education Centre in Thalang later confirmed that the mushroom was a “stinky squid”, the most widely distributed member of the genus Pseudocolus.
The species grows scattered or in groups on disturbed soil in coniferous or mixed forests usually spotted in the summer from July to September and its often have four to seven upright arms with reddish to pink in colour with foul and offensive smell.
It’s particularly well known for producing a smell akin to rotting meat, which in turn attracts hordes of flies.
Although found commonly elsewhere around the world, the stinky squid is rare in Thailand. The specimen found at Ms Wichat’s home yesterday was only the second stinky squid reported found in Thailand this year.
The first one was spotted in Chaing Mai in May.
In light of the fact that such a rarity of species in Thailand had sprouted at her home, Ms Wichat said, “I hope this brings good luck to my home.”