Doll's Eyes: Fatal if consumed by humans.
October 21, 2017 7:43 AM Subscribe
Cat Whitney posts a collection of photos and brief descriptions [twitter thread] of her favorite spooooooky plants and fungi.
Oh this is excellent.
I am continually amazed by the ability of the natural world to produce things beyond the imagination of any concept artist working on the latest scifi franchise.
posted by quaking fajita at 8:00 AM on October 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
I am continually amazed by the ability of the natural world to produce things beyond the imagination of any concept artist working on the latest scifi franchise.
posted by quaking fajita at 8:00 AM on October 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
(In fairness, the natural world has had a lot more time to practice, and a much higher budget to work with.)
posted by Spathe Cadet at 8:21 AM on October 21, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Spathe Cadet at 8:21 AM on October 21, 2017 [5 favorites]
Huh, I'd never thought of lingjiao as scary before. But that photograph of them certainly captured an undeniably skull-like appearance.
I guess things lose a certain amount of awe factor when they have been boiled en masse, cracked open, and scooped out with tiny spoons.
Wait, no, now that I consider it.... I do not think that would make skulls less scary.
posted by inconstant at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
I guess things lose a certain amount of awe factor when they have been boiled en masse, cracked open, and scooped out with tiny spoons.
Wait, no, now that I consider it.... I do not think that would make skulls less scary.
posted by inconstant at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Auricularia auricula - the Wood Ear. Another contender in the body horror category, they often look like severed human ears.
Some people don’t like them because they say they taste like rubber bands. They are wrong, and wood ear mushrooms are great.
posted by Room 641-A at 8:25 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Some people don’t like them because they say they taste like rubber bands. They are wrong, and wood ear mushrooms are great.
posted by Room 641-A at 8:25 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
They don't taste like rubber bands, they just have the mouthfeel of.... rubber gloves, let's say.
One of my mother's remedies was bai muer and lotus seeds in, like, rock-sugar water. I forget what it was for -- probably cough or something. The upside was that this method of cooking rendered the ingredients soft enough to swallow without chewing (which I did while grimacing with extreme theatricality).
posted by inconstant at 8:32 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
One of my mother's remedies was bai muer and lotus seeds in, like, rock-sugar water. I forget what it was for -- probably cough or something. The upside was that this method of cooking rendered the ingredients soft enough to swallow without chewing (which I did while grimacing with extreme theatricality).
posted by inconstant at 8:32 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Top shelf!
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:36 AM on October 21, 2017
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:36 AM on October 21, 2017
I now desperately want a garden made up of all of these... well maybe not the stinky ones.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:40 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:40 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Damn nature you scary AND beautiful AND weird.
posted by smallerdemon at 8:46 AM on October 21, 2017
posted by smallerdemon at 8:46 AM on October 21, 2017
I used to collect little snapdragon skulls in the fall. These days I hardly get round to collecting my wits.
posted by pracowity at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by pracowity at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
I was hoping / afraid you were gonna say “These days I hardly get round to collecting my own skulls.”
posted by moonmilk at 11:14 AM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by moonmilk at 11:14 AM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Incredible!
posted by gryphonlover at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2017
posted by gryphonlover at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2017
I love this and have already sent it to a gardener friend
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2017
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2017
“These days I hardly get round to collecting my own skulls.”
Eh, I don't even bother anymore, got tired of scarabic telling me I was doing it wrong
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:20 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Eh, I don't even bother anymore, got tired of scarabic telling me I was doing it wrong
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:20 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
So I just watched an episode of Lore and thought "I know, I'll go on MeFi to find something fun for light relief" so I guess I'm never sleeping again ever now.
posted by parm at 12:32 PM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by parm at 12:32 PM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Maybe its just me but I think Hydnellum peckii looks kind of delicious.
posted by Ashwagandha at 2:40 PM on October 21, 2017
posted by Ashwagandha at 2:40 PM on October 21, 2017
No, yeah, you just have to reframe it as "cream/frosting with blobs of strawberry jam on top" and it's a lot less scary. Of course it sounds like you would be pretty disappointed if you tried to act on it...
posted by inconstant at 3:28 PM on October 21, 2017
posted by inconstant at 3:28 PM on October 21, 2017
Love this! Perfect pre-Halloween post.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:32 PM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:32 PM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:54 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]