Coprinus comatus
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 C. comatus mature
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Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, is a common fungus often seen growing on lawns. The young fruiting bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales - this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the "ink cap" name). Its specific name derives from coma, or "hair", hence comatus, "haired" or "shaggy".
When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly).
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[edit] Description
The shaggy ink cap is easily recognizable from its cap which initially covers almost the whole of its stem. Entirely white to begin with, the cap becomes shaggy as separating scales develop. The gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. It is deliquescent.
[edit] Distribution and habitat
It grows in groups in places which are often unexpected, such as green areas in towns. it occurs widely in grasslands and meadows in Europe and North America. It appears to have been introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
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[edit] Growth
The left image below shows a young mushroom. The right image shows the same specimen 24 hours later. 'Ink' can be seen dripping from the gills.
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[edit] Edibility
The young mushrooms, before the gills start to turn black, are edible.
[edit] References
Much of the above article was translated from the French page and Dutch pages.
- Pierre Montarnal : Le petit guide : Champignons (Genève, 1964; Paris-Hachette, 1969).
- Régis Courtecuisse, Bernard Duhem : Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe (Delachaux & Niestlé, 1994-2000). ISBN 2-603-00953-2
- Roger Phillips : Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe (Pan Books Ltd. 1981 / Book Club Associates 1981) - for the English names.
[edit] External links
- "The Genus Coprinus: The Inky Caps" by Michael Kuo, MushroomExpert.com, February, 2005.
- All about Inkcaps: Coprinus site of Kees Uljé – taxonomy and keys to coprinoid fungi.
- Fungus of the Month for May 2004: Coprinus comatus, the shaggy mane by Tom Volk, TomVolkFungi.net.
- "Coprinus comatus: The Shaggy Mane" by Michael Kuo, MushroomExpert.com, September, 2001.
- "California Fungi: Coprinus comatus", MykoWeb.com.
- "Wild About Mushrooms: Shaggy Mane Mushroom" by Louise Freedman, MykoWeb.com.
- Società di Micoterapia
- Medicinal Mushroom Society
- http://www.funghi-vitalia.it/index.php?cat=c3_Coprinus.html
