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Glite Dictionary
Phallus impudicus

Phallus impudicus

9.9
A common mushroom that smells strong and grows in damp woods
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Phallus impudicus
  • The strong odor of Phallus impudicus makes it easy to identify in damp forests.

Examples

  • Some traditional remedies once used Phallus impudicus to prepare a salve for rheumatism.

  • We found a Phallus impudicus growing in the woods near our cottage.

  • The Phallus impudicus is often found in decaying wood.

  • Have you ever seen a Phallus impudicus in the wild?

  • Some traditional remedies once used Phallus impudicus to prepare a salve for rheumatism.

  • The strong odor of Phallus impudicus makes it easy to identify in damp forests.

  • We found a Phallus impudicus growing in the woods near our cottage.

Synonyms

common stinkhorn
vsPhallus impudicus
9.3

A mushroom with a strong bad smell that attracts flies

is the formal scientific label noting its former use in salve preparation
stinkhorn
vsPhallus impudicus
9.9

A smelly mushroom that attracts insects

is the narrower sense referring to the specific species used historically for rheumatism salves

Surface Forms

Phallus impudicus singular
Phallus impudici plural

Morphology

Phallus + impudicus

This is a Latin scientific binomial naming a specific fungus (the common stinkhorn), so its meaning is a conventional taxonomic label rather than a compositional phrase. Even if a learner recognized 'phallus', the second element 'impudicus' is obscure and the overall species name is arbitrary/specialized, so a B1 learner would not be able to derive 'stinkhorn fungus' from the parts.

Etymology

Phallus impudicus may come from old Latin words that describe how the mushroom looks and acts: phallus refers to a penis because the fungus stands up like one, and impudicus means 'shameless' because it shows that shape openly. The mushroom also gives off a very bad smell and is called the 'common stinkhorn', so this strong, smelly image helps explain the name and makes the species easy to recognize.