A strange mushroom that looks like a “dirt” star!
Along the path through the Bourgon Forest that leads to the castle, you can discover this archer’s Anthurus, a clathrus remarkable not only for its star-shaped form and bright red color but also for its nauseating smell of rotting carrion.
This species has been known in France since 1914, when it was discovered in Alsace. It is believed to have been introduced from New Zealand along with military equipment (or sheep’s wool…); it has since spread throughout Europe, reaching Germany in 1934 and Switzerland in 1942.
It is not very common in Mayenne, but it is seen from time to time. It has also been spotted in the Fougères Forest (35) for several years. 