Dead Man's Hand
Scleroderma polyrhizum · Family Sclerodermataceae · Updated October 2026
1,030US records
32states
Octbusiest month
1,030 US records since 1868 (406 in the last 10 years)
Last seen Sep 25, 2026 (about 4 weeks ago) near Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA, photographed by an iNaturalist user, with the ID agreed on by other iNaturalist users (research grade). Most US records come from New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, and the busiest months are Oct, Sep and Aug. (Data as of October 26, 2026; records can lag by weeks.)
⚠ Never eat a wild mushroom based on this site. We show where fungi have been recorded, nothing more. We never say any mushroom is edible or safe, and you shouldn't decide that from any website, app or photo. Many deadly mushrooms look like harmless ones. If someone may have eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Lookalike warning. Many mushrooms, including deadly ones, closely resemble each other, and the only reliable identification comes from an expert looking at the actual specimen (often with spore prints or microscopy). Never use a name, photo or record count on this page to decide what something is.
When it's recorded
Records by month, all years. Busiest: Oct, Sep, Aug.
Where it's recorded
Top counties
- Ocean County, NJ (86) · latest Dec 11, 2025
- Sussex County, NJ (74) · latest Feb 9, 2023
- Mercer County, NJ (49) · latest Jan 7, 2024
- Burlington County, NJ (46) · latest Apr 27, 2026
- Morris County, NJ (45) · latest Nov 23, 2020
- Middlesex County, NJ (30) · latest Feb 7, 2022
- Hunterdon County, NJ (30) · latest Aug 25, 2019
- Montgomery County, MD (29) · latest Jan 9, 2024
- Monmouth County, NJ (26) · latest Aug 22, 2015
- Bucks County, PA (23) · latest 2019
More on this species from GBIF.
Bring along
🍄
Regional mushroom field guideSee on Amazon🍄
Folding mushroom knife with brushSee on Amazon🍄
Wicker foraging basketSee on Amazon🍄
10x hand lens / loupeSee on Amazon🍄
Spore print paperSee on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.