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Dead Man's Fingers


Dead Man's Fingers
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1205 W: 2 N: 4550] (13764)
Genre: Fungi
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-10-11
Exposure: f/22, 4 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-10-14 23:28
Viewed: 415
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
I have yesterday been placed a black fungi.
It was not real black but the people who don't know there are real black fungi have to look the few days, I shal been posted a pair real black fungi.

The first one today is one with a real beautiful duchname Dodemansvinger free translate Dead Man's Fingers.
One of the pictures taken this week and it was a really good week to tke fungi pictures.

Latin name - Xylaria polymorpha

Commonly called "Dead Man's Fingers," this odd mushroom dons a variety of costumes in its rather long life span. When young it is pale with a whitish tip. The pale covering is actually a coating of asexual spores. Morel hunters frequently encounter Xylaria polymorpha in this form, in early spring. Soon, however, it begins to blacken, and by fall it is entirely black and dried out (illustration). Somewhere in the middle of this progressive costume change, Xylaria polymorpha does indeed look like a creepy set of "dead man's fingers." By the final stages, however, one is more likely to mistake it for something, um, left by a house cat.

Xylaria polymorpha is actually a cluster of hard-to-separate species that are imperfectly documented.

I have no information on the edibility of Xylaria polymorpha, but it is too tough (and disgusting!) to consider eating, anyway.

Ecology: Saprobic on decaying hardwood stumps and logs; sometimes appearing terrestrial but actually attached to buried wood; growing alone or, more commonly in clusters; appearing in spring and not decaying until late summer or fall.

Fruiting Body: 2-8 cm tall; .5-3 cm across; tough; shaped more or less like a club or a finger; with a rounded tip; at first coated with a pale spore dust, but soon blackish with a pale tip; eventually black overall; surface rough or minutely pimpled.

Flesh: White; very tough.

Microscopic Features: Spores 20-32 x 5-10 µ; smooth; spindle shaped. Asexual spores (coating the fruiting body when young) smaller. Asci in perithecia, embedded in the white flesh just beneath the outer surface.
uleko, aes_thor, jconceicao, siggi, jaycee, crs, nglen, boreocypriensis has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Gert
Good capture of this fungi - the moss really makes it stand out. Excellent focus, exposure and DOF.
Kind Regards
Vinny

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2989 W: 162 N: 941] (2769)
  • [2008-10-15 3:43]

Hello Gert,
How exciting to find one of these fungi! I've never seen one myself. Excellent capture showing it clearly among the mosses - easy to miss as it doesn't exactly look like a fungus!
Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hi Gert,

interesting species of fungi, the name is quite scary to me, but it really looks like it. Good colour contrast on green moss, nice details. good light.

cheers
Adrian

Hello Gert,

Fantastic photo.
Good focus and excellent detail.
Composition and light are superb.

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1370 W: 56 N: 4704] (16174)
  • [2008-10-15 4:51]

Hi Gert,
Very nice capture of these fungi.Well caught,framed and.POV,lighting,exposure and details areperfect.Very well done!
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-10-15 10:20]

Hi Gert,

I don't like the name of this fungus. What's even worse is I can see how it got the name. But the picture is wonderful. Excellent colors and details. The black fungus looks great against the green.

Jane

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2008-10-15 11:06]

Hello Gert,
Very interesting photo of these fungi you have made. The inage has a great sharpness showing in details the texture of the fungi. Green moss arround them creates a fine contrast.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2907 W: 34 N: 8619] (32124)
  • [2008-10-15 11:14]

Hi Gert. You can see why this one is called this. This is a first class close up of the unusual looking fungi. which your low POV gives such a good view of the side. with fine detail and rich colours. Look so good against the moss. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi Big Brother Gert,

A very strange-shaped:) mushroom which I have not seen before:) Great clarity, nice DOF and POV as usual.
tfs and cheers,

Bayram
PS. I came back but you are still forget me:P

Hi Gert,
Another excellent capture of interesting Fungi species. Never heard of this before. However, having seen it now it would not be on my list when looking for mushrooms for a meal. Good POV and composition, sharp details.
TFS
Pekka

it reminds me of something else, nevertheless it is interesting, TFS Ori

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