280 days of Urbpandemonium #56

[urbpan]

When I cut down a dozen or so little Norway maples in my yards, there were several benefits. First, I had the satisfaction of removing an invasive species before it had the opportunity to reproduce. Second, I got some firewood out of it. And relevant to this post, I got to see what kind of fungi were waiting to feast on the remains. These bluish clubs tipped in white will grow longer and eventually turn black. Throughout their life, these fruiting bodies earn their common name "dead man's fingers" (Xylaria polymorpha.* The fungus that produces them feeds on dead roots underground, pushing fingers through the soil to reach the air and spread their spores.


* Xylaria=pertaining to wood; Polymorpha=many shapes