'Dead man's finger' found in the Europe and North America
Xylaria polymorpha, popularly known as Dead man's fingers, is a saprobic mushroom fungus found in the forest and woodland areas of Europe especially in Britain and Ireland and North America. Usually, it has the appearance of crooked fingers with yellowish nails earning it the name, ‘Dead man’s fingers’. It is not edible. These fungus grow from rotten tree stumps and woody debris. It’s ecological importance is that it breaks down decayed organic matter into nutrients that are easily absorbable for plants. Dead man’s fingers growing on the trunk or roots is a hazard as it indicates that the fungus is breaking down the tree internally causing a condition known as soft rot. It can collapse and fall any time and need to be removed before it turn into an accident. (Pic courtesy Technobyte website)