Dead man's fingers
A species of Xylaria Scientific name : Xylaria polymorpha Genus : Xylaria
Dead man's fingers, A species of Xylaria
Scientific name: Xylaria polymorpha
Genus: Xylaria
Photo By Björn S. , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
This appropriately named mushroom, the dead man's fingers (Xylaria polymorpha), has a distinctive cap that resembles blackened fingers that emerge where rotting woods comes in contact with the ground. They can mature to a hand-height tall, and transform from a dark blue hue to black as they stretch skyward. The ugly appearance and high toxicity should repel any potential forager from harvesting.
Habitat
The dead man's fingers is a mushroom of deciduous woodlands often associated with beech trees. It grows on dead or decaying wood such as stumps, logs, and branches, or near the base of a living tree. Even if it appears terrestrial, it actually grows on buried wood.
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General Info
Habitat
The dead man's fingers is a mushroom of deciduous woodlands often associated with beech trees. It grows on dead or decaying wood such as stumps, logs, and branches, or near the base of a living tree. Even if it appears terrestrial, it actually grows on buried wood.
Growth Form
Saprobic; solitary, clustered
Sporocarp Height
4 inches
Cap Diameter
1 inch
Endangered Species
No
Habit
Saprophytic
Substrate
On wood
Smell
Not distinctive
Spore Print
Black
Species Status
Widely distributed
Distribution Area
North America,Europe,Asia
How to identify it?
Similar Species
Photo By Björn S. , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Sac fungi Class
Sordariomycetes Order
Xylariales Family
Xylariaceae Genus
Xylaria Species
Dead man's fingers