Dead man’s fingers (Xylaria Polymorpha) is a type of fungus, but the internet is having a hard time accepting this is real life and not some weird dream they can’t wake up from. People’s horror is probably because “dead man’s fingers” looks an awful lot like, well, a dead person’s fingers and/or toes.
The Woodland Trust nails it when the organization describes dead man’s fingers as “macabre-looking clusters of hard, swollen, warty ‘fingers’, 3-8cm [about 1-3 inches] high.” Woodland Trust says you can find this fungus throughout the U.K., Ireland, mainland Europe, and parts of North America. It typically grows on or near stumps of dead wood.
Alt National Park Service shared a photo of the disturbing fungi on Facebook, reminding people not to eat these mushrooms if they come across them. The same photo has been making the rounds on the internet, freaking people out on multiple platforms.
See the dead man’s fingers fungus here:
Comments on the Alt National Park Service’s Facebook post include things like:
“I would freak out if I happened upon these.”
“Fungi are amazing. From creepy to beautiful, they’re all impressive.”
“Thanks in advance for the nightmares I’ll be having tonight!”
“Mother Nature has a sense of humor. . .”
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Have you ever come across dead man’s fingers (the fungus, of course, not the real deal)?