''Ileodictyon'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Phallaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are clathroid (resembling those in the genus '' Clathrus''), emerging from egg-like peridia and forming spongy "arms" which connect to create a cage-like lattice. The basidiospores on the arms are covered by a foetid slime that attracts flies, the agents of spore dispersal. There are three named species (Ileodictyon cibarium, Ileodictyon giganteum, Ileodictyon gracile) and one currently unnamed. The unnamed species, called "the green cage fungus", is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...

and is considered globally threatened. It is assessed as "endangered" on

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological spe ...

. The genus may have originated in Australia, New Zealand, and the southern Pacific islands, but species have been found worldwide (including Europe), probably as unintentional introductions.

References

Phallales Agaricomycetes genera {{Phallales-stub