October Mushroom of the Month: Xylaria longipes \\ Dead Moll’s Fingers
Happy October! To celebrate the favorite season of many fungi fans, here’s a pair of spooky Dead Moll’s Fingers (Xylaria longipes) At first glance, X. longipes might look nearly identical to its more common cousin, Xylaria polymorpha—better known as Dead Man’s Fingers—but with a closer look, the differences begin to emerge. X. longipes is more slender and elongated, often slightly curved or club-shaped, and usually sports a visible stalk. X. polymorpha, by contrast, is thicker, more irregular, typically stalkless, and tends to resemble horrible cocktail sausages left in the broiler or charred clumps of well, dead man’s fingers.
Under a microscope, the distinctions become even clearer: X. longipes has narrower, smoother spores, and the fruiting bodies are about 5–10 mm thick, while X. polymorpha has rougher spores and is often over 1 cm thick.
Beyond its spooky appearance, X. longipes is also known to cause spalting, a form of wood coloration that results in dramatic lines and patterns. This natural effect is highly valued by woodworkers and instrument makers, who use spalted wood to craft everything from musical instruments to decorative bowls and boxes.
