This Creepy Fungus Is Called ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’ And There Couldn’t Be A More Suiting Name

If mushrooms are nothing more than a pizza topping for you, the Facebook group Mushroomcore might leave you pleasantly surprised. Turns out there are more mushrooms out there than just champignons and fly amanitas – and some of them are outright terrifying. A little while ago, Facebook user Regan Daniels shared photos of a bizarre mushroom called Xylaria polymorpha, aka Dead Man’s Fingers, and you’ll quickly realize why it’s called that way. Members of the group couldn’t believe what they were seeing and some even called the pictures fake – but Regan assured they were very much real.

Regan Daniels recently shared photos of a creepy mushroom called Dead Man’s Fingers to the Mushroomcore Facebook group

Image credits: Regan Daniels

In a recent interview with Bored Panda, the woman said she spotted the creepy mushrooms growing on an old stump in Western North Carolina while walking in a park near the French Broad River.

Image credits: Plant & Tree Lovers

Image credits: sheringhamparknt

Image credits: Fair Grounds

The mushrooms have a pretty distinctive appearance, looking a lot like necrotic fingers. And just in case you don’t know how they look like, we recommend you not Google it – just take our word for it. The mushroom is pretty widely spread and can typically be found in the woods of the UK, mainland Europe and North America. So the next time you spot one on your evening stroll through the forest, make sure to snap a pic to scare your friends!