Xylaria polymorpha is a forest-dwelling fungus that could easily make a group of hikers bolt Scooby Doo-style if seen in the wrong light. That’s because polymorpha, a.k.a. “dead man’s fingers,” often ...

A new study in Current Biology identified genetic variants in Marchantia polymorpha that enable climate adaptation. By integrating genomic and climate data, researchers uncovered genes linked to ...

The fungus begins cropping up in the spring as whitish fruiting bodies that produce conidia, or asexual spores. Eventually the conidia flake off, and by autumn, the finger-like bodies turn bumpy and ...

Dead Man's Fingers, scientifically known as Xylaria polymorpha, is a fungus resembling human fingers emerging from soil. Found worldwide, it thrives near decaying wood, its dark elongated structures ...

Kyoto, Japan -- When life gets tough, nature usually finds a way to help the little guys. Plants experience intense competition from their neighbors. To better survive restricted light conditions, it ...