Acorns
January 26, 2024
Hazelnuts
January 31, 2024
Mushroom Monday: Coprinus comatus
Happy Mushroom Monday everyone! Today’s Mushroom Monday mushroom is Coprinus comatus. It is commonly known as shaggy mane, shaggy inkcap, lawyer’s wig, or inky cap.
What Does Coprinus Comatus Look Like?
Coprinus comatus is a large mushroom. When the mushroom is young, the cap is around 1 to 2.8 inches across with a height of around 2 to 8 inches. The stem is around 4 to 10 inches tall.
When young, the cap is white and has scales and patches of brown. The scales on the cap can give it a shaggy look (this is responsible for part of the common names). It has a cylinder egg-like shape and is rounded at the top. The gills are crowded together and start out white. The stem has a cylinder shape that gets wider at the base and is hollow with a cord in the center. The stems are cream in color and have fibers on them.
What Happens to Coprinus Comatus as it Gets Older?
Coprinus comatus has a quick change as it ages. Shortly after it comes out of the ground, the cap of the mushroom opens, flattens, darkens, and the edges roll up. As this happens, the gills turn pink and then turn black and liquify. The black liquified gills give it some of its common names (inkcap and inky cap).
Where can Coprinus Comatus be Found?
Coprinus comatus occurs around the world and can be found in Europe and North America. They can be found in places where the ground has been disturbed. They can be found in lawns, gardens, meadows, and other similar places. They can occur in clusters, lines, or fairy rings.
What Kind of Mushrooms are Coprinus Comatus?
Coprinus comatus are saprophytic mushrooms (another example are pear-shaped puffball mushrooms). They get nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter.
Are There Any Mushrooms That Look Similar?
There are similar looking mushrooms. One example is Coprinopsis atramentaria (common inky cap). The gills look similar to the Coprinus comatus, but it has a shorter cap with a more gray/brown color, and it doesn’t have scales.
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