Definition of dead-man's-fingers
1
: any of several European orchids (genus Orchis) having pale digitate roots (especially O. mascula, O. maculata, O. latifolia, and O. morio)
2
: any of several other plants: such as
a
: bird's-foot trefoil 1a
b
: cuckoopint
c
: meadow foxtail grass
3
: the fruiting bodies of fungi of the genus Xylaria (especially X. polymorpha)
4 a
: a fleshy alcyonarian (Alcyonium digitatum) usually lobed or digitate in form
b
: a white or grayish digitately branching sponge (Chalina arbuscula) of the Atlantic coast
5
: dead man
