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Regan Daniels from North Carolina shared a very scary photo that went viral on the Internet because it looked like the leg of a dead man. And when you look at it closely, then you will understand what it really is.
When Regan Daniels was out walking in Western North Carolina in June 2020, she stumbled upon something that made her come to a halt. She picked up her camera and captured the peculiar sight she encountered, uploading the pictures to a Facebook group.
All the members of the group were passionate about the mushrooms and the details found in the forest, but the photo stunned everyone. What turned out to be in the end?
Well, Regan had photographed a fungus known as Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha). With its swollen, blackened “fingers” stretching towards the sky, the Dead Man’s Fingers aptly earn their name as they eerily resemble someone buried beneath the forest floor, making a desperate final attempt to break free.
“Saw this Dead Man’s Fingers (or toes in this case) fungus that I literally thought was a Halloween decoration!,” Regan wrote in her post.
The appearance is both striking and unique, but the fact is that this fungus is relatively common and can be found all year round. These types of mushrooms are quite prevalent in Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, and various regions across North America. Hence, it’s not impossible to come across swollen, warty ‘fingers’ if you are observant.
If you want to discover them, look on stumps or buried deadwood of broadleaved trees, especially beech. The fungus only invades dead or dying wood – that’s why Dead Man’s Fingers are often seen poking up through moss and rotten leaves.
Regan Daniels stumbled upon the macabre-looking clusters of Xylaria polymorpha in a park she often visits in North Carolina.
They were emerging from a stump, surrounded by a cluster of other mushrooms of the same kind. Some were quick to label the images as fake, finding them simply too surreal. However, the mushrooms are indeed very real, and there are numerous captivating pictures of them available online.
“I found the mushroom in Western North Carolina in the United States at a park that I frequent,” Regan told Bored Panda and added, “The walk is nice [and] it’s next to the French Broad River so there’s a lot of good scenery .”
The examples that Reagan found looked very intact – even though she was walking on a pretty popular location. However, it might not be surprising since few people may dare to pick it, possibly perceiving it as toxic or potentially harmful.
