Did I visit the ocean?

From the looks of this picture you might think I've gone deep sea diving. That's not the case. I found this grand looking thing that looks like ocean coral growing in the woods right here in Southeast Missouri.

This is a native fungus called crown-tipped coral mushroom. Its main function is to digest dead wood that lies underground, causing the wood to rot. Crown-tipped coral fungi can show up in the same spot in the woods for several years.

Crown-tipped coral fungi gets its name from the crown-like tops of each stem. This fungus can be found throughout Missouri from June through September.