Those of a sensitive disposition...

..should look away now.
This is a stinkhorn Phallus imudicus of which there are several growing in Pitmedden forest. Mr Murmuration said i shouldn't post this as it is 'too disgusting.' He favoured the picture with lots of black flies crawling all over it, but the focus wasn't very good. The black flies had fled by the time I took this one leaving only these two, who were otherwise distracted and didn't notice me looming over them.
Earlier in the week the cap of this fungus was covered in a glutinous black slime which contains the spores. It also smells of rotting flesh - to attract the flies. This fungus has a relative called the Dog Stinkhorn, which I've never seen but looks even more disgusting in photographs.
Isn't nature marvellous.