Stumbled upon this weird, bumpy green ball under the trees. It looks like a brain and is sticky to touch. What is it?

Contrary to its name, the Osage orange is not related to the common orange. Instead, it belongs to the Moraceae family, making it a cousin of the mulberry and fig. The name ‘Osage’ derives from the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe indigenous to the region where the tree naturally grows. The fruit’s green hue and distinctive texture make it an unmistakable sight in the autumnal landscape.