Bleeding Mushroom

It's kind of startling to come across one of these blood mushrooms (Hydnellum peckii) in the woods, they look so much like they are bleeding real blood...

 

Coincidentally, this red 'blood' does produce a pigment that has strong anticoagulant properties in human and animal blood.

 

I first learned about these remarkable mushrooms several years ago, from a fellow WUnderPhotos member, Algoresister from North Bend Oregon. In her area, they 'bloomed' in October.

 

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Uploaded on September 4, 2017
Taken on August 12, 2016