Regan Daniels of North Carolina posted a couple photos of a fungus that resembled a dead man’s toes to the Facebook group Mushroomcore, and it’s simple to understand why. Look at that!
Take a closer look…
Naturally, a few people immediately cried ‘fake’, but Daniels reassured people it wasn’t the case.
And, well, looking at the shrooms from another angle that shows them growing upwards, we can safely say she shouldn’t be discredited.
Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) mushrooms are actually pretty common in Britain and Ireland, and are also found thrEven if they were tasty.oughout mainland Europe and in many parts of North America.
They grow throughout the year at the base of tree stumps – mostly beechwood, but sometimes also on other buried hardwoods. The mushroom’s fruiting body usually appears in tufts of three to six ‘fingers’ that are often bent, giving the impression of arthritic black knuckles.
Check out the hand version.
Daniels discovered the fungus growing from a stump surrounded by other similar mushrooms. The fungus isn’t generally considered edible, which might be one of the reason it had stayed intact, even in a popular destination.
But, of course, there’s another reason. Would you ever taste a dead man’s toes?
Even if they were tasty.
Dale says
Thanks for posting. So interesting.
Nancy S Muritz says
In what part of the world can these be found? They are quite real looking and scary.