This 'stinkhorn' was the first fungus to be described from Australia. It was recorded on 1 May 1792 from Recherche Bay in Tasmania, just south of Hobart by Labillardiere. The olive-brown slime is the spore mass that is eaten by flys and other insectes which disperse the spores. There appears to be a fair amount of variation within this species. Rangeing from rather delicate forms to the more robust ones like the example you have uploaded. They are saprotrophic (decomposers) and often found in wood mulch.
An important character in Leptospermums is whether they keep their seed cases or not for a number of years, and the shape and hairiness of the seed cases. A diagnostic that distinguishes laevigatum from all other Leptospermums is that the seed cases have 6-11 radial slits in the tops, while the rest always have 5. So if you can find them, it is a good idea to take a photo from top and side of a seed case, and add a comment like ‘Seed cases not found’ if you can’t.
1,903,523 sightings of 21,215 species in 9,380 locations from 13,060 contributors CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.