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.
Odor:
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
In This Article
Attributes
Similar Species
Tips for Finding
Clean and Preserve
Common Questions
General Info About Dead man's fingers
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Attributes of Dead man's fingers
Height
3 - 10 cm
Cap
Surface smooth and matt, finely granular and wrinkled, with shallow raised warts
Stem
Short cylindrical
Flesh
Tough; white
Ring
Ringless
Spore Print Color
Black
Odor
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
Flesh Bruises
The flesh or milk does not discolor when bruised or cut.
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.
