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Dead man's fingers

Fungi: Ascomycota: Sordariomycetes: Xylariales: Xylariaceae: Xylaria polymorpha (Pers.) Grev.

Xylaria polymorpha – dead man's fingers

Synonyms: Cordyceps polymorpha, Cordylia polymorpha, Hypoxylon polymorphum, Sphaeria digitata, Sphaeria polymorpha, Sphaeria spathulata, Xylaria clavata, Xylaria corrugata, Xylaria rugosa, Xylosphaera polymorpha.

Common name: dead man's fingers.

Extract from Wikipedia article: Xylaria polymorpha, commonly known as dead man's fingers, is a saprobic fungus. It is a common inhabitant of forest and woodland areas, usually growing from the bases of rotting or injured tree stumps and decaying wood. It has also been known to colonize substrates like woody legume pods, petioles, and herbaceous stems. It is characterized by its elongated upright, clavate, or strap-like stromata poking up through the ground, much like fingers. The genus Xylaria contains about 100 species of cosmopolitan fungi. Polymorpha means "many forms". As its name suggests, it has a very variable but often club-shaped fruiting body (stroma) resembling burned wood.

Arabic: فطر أصابع الرجل الميت, Croatian: Mrtvačevi prsti, Dutch: Houtknotszwam, Estonian: Kobarsüsik, Finnish: Nuijasarvisieni, French: Xylaire polymorphe, German: Vielgestaltige Holzkeule, Hungarian: Bunkós agancsgomba, Lithuanian: Kislusis elniagrybis, Persian: انگشتان مرده, Polish: Próchnilec maczugowaty, Romanian: Degetele mortului, Serbian: Мртвачки прсти, Swedish: Tjockhorn.

Photos of this mushroom from East and Central Texas

Dead Man's Fingers (<B>Xylaria polymorpha</B>) mushroom in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, <A HREF="../date-en/2013-10-20.htm">October 20, 2013</A>
LinkDead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) mushroom in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 20, 2013
Location on maps23200 Park Road, Washington, TX 77880, USA
Dead Man's Fingers (<B>Xylaria polymorpha</B>) mushroom growing from a base of stump on university golf course near Texas Avenue. College Station, Texas, <A HREF="../date-en/2013-10-21.htm">October 21, 2013</A>
LinkDead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) mushroom growing from a base of stump on university golf course near Texas Avenue. College Station, Texas, October 21, 2013
Location on maps1207 South Texas Avenue, College Station, TX 77840, USA
Dead Man's Fingers (<B>Xylaria polymorpha</B>) mushrooms growing near a tree stump on university golf course near Texas Avenue. College Station, Texas, <A HREF="../date-en/2013-10-30.htm">October 30, 2013</A>
LinkDead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) mushrooms growing near a tree stump on university golf course near Texas Avenue. College Station, Texas, October 30, 2013
Location on maps1207 South Texas Avenue, College Station, TX 77840, USA
Dead man's fingers mushrooms (<B>Xylaria polymorpha</B>) on a fallen oak in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, <A HREF="../date-en/2020-05-30.htm">May 30, 2020</A>
LinkDead man's fingers mushrooms (Xylaria polymorpha) on a fallen oak in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, May 30, 2020
Location on mapsLone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA

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