Stinkhorn can grow up to 8 – 12cm in height and resembles a phallus when fully emerged from the egg-like structure which contains the immature fruiting body. Once the fruiting body emerges, the young cap oozes a spore-bearing sticky gel called gleba which attracts the flies and other insects it relies on to distribute its spores. It smells like rotting flesh.

When the ‘egg’, which is around 4–8cm in diameter, is ready to fruit, it elongates until it ruptures, the stipe quickly emerging bearing the conical-shaped cap on top. The cap is coated in a dark, olive-green slime and crowned by a small white ring. Underneath the slime (or gleba) coating, the cap has a raised off-white to grey-white honeycomb appearance and is around 2.5–5cm across. It is very common in the UK and seen regularly on the Barff. It grows in all types of woodland, particularly coniferous, and in gardens. More often smelled than seen; its aroma can be detected far and wide and can be mistaken for dead animals or bad drains. Visible from July to the end of October on the Barff.