Coprinus comatus

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Coprinus comatus

C. comatus mature

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Homobasidiomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Agaricaceae
Genus:	Coprinus
Species:	Coprinus comatus (O.F. Müll.) Gray

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).

A recent study has found the shaggy ink cap kills nematode species Panagrellus redivivus and Meloidogyne arenaria.^[1]

1 Description
2 Distribution and habitat
3 Growth
4 Edibility
5 References
6 External links

[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.

Coprinus comatus mycological characteristics:	i
gills on hymenium
cap is conical
hymenium is free
stipe has a ring
spore print is black
ecology is saprophytic
edibility: choice

[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.

10th October

11th October

[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.

^ Hong Luo, Minghe Mo, Xiaowei Huang, Xuan Li & Keqin Zhang. (2004) Coprinus comatus: A basidiomycete fungus forms novel spiny structures and infects nematode Mycologia 96: 1218-1224. online

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 978-2-603-00953-6
Roger Phillips : Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe (Pan Books Ltd. 1981 / Book Club Associates 1981) - for the English names.