Aseroe rubra (Anemone Stinkhorn)

IUCN Status: Not Assessed.

Adding a whole new kingdom to my site! It's exciting in a weird way.

We stumbled on this driving around the Gog Ranges in Tassie. Normally I would clear some of the clutter from a round a subject like this, however this character earns it's name well so I only getting as close as I needed for the shot.

These could have been the inspiration for sci-fi aliens. They start of as spores that deposit in rotting animal or plant matter. A white egg grows mainly under the ground, but with enough above ground so that the red arms can burst through. The arms are covered in a brown substance that reeks like rotting meat. This draws in flies - which in turn spread the spores.

Beautiful: yes. Pretty: no.