"The Disturbing Fungus Nicknamed 'Dead Man's Fingers'"

“North Carolina’s Regan Daniels shared pictures of a fungus that closely resembles a dead man’s toes on Mushroomcore Facebook group – take a look at it!”

North Carolina’s Regan Daniels shared pictures of a fungus that closely resembles a dead man’s toes on the Mushroomcore Facebook group – take a look at it!

Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) mushrooms are a common sight in Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, and many parts of North America. They grow throughout the year at the base of tree stumps, mostly on 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. Even though they are pretty common, some people might not be aware of this variety of mushrooms.

If you take a look at the hand version of these mushrooms, you will see how they resemble a dead man’s fingers. Despite their creepy appearance, some people might wonder if they are edible or not – but the answer is no, they are not considered safe for consumption.

Daniels found the fungus growing on a stump surrounded by similar mushrooms. They are not edible and their unappetizing appearance may be another reason why they remain untouched.