Coprinus xanthothrix

Coprinellus xanthothrix

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Family: Psathyrellaceae

This rather uncommon wood-rotting inkcap looks very much like a pale grey form of the Glistening Inkcap (also known as the Mica Inkcap), Coprinellus micaceus, and indeed confident separation of the two species really requires microscopic analysis: Coprinellus xanthothrix, which has no generally accepted common name, has oval spores (in contrast, the spores of Coprinellus micaceus are mitre shaped) and the cystidia on the edges of its gills are flask shaped.

Note: inkcap is sometimes written as ink-cap or ink cap, and in the USA the terms inky cap or inky-cap are used.

Identification guide

Cap of Coprinellus xanthothrix

Cap

Initially egg-shaped then bell shaped, expanding to between 1.6 and 2.5cm dia; margin deeply furrowed; surface sparsely covered with pale mica-like scales, mainly near to the centre of the cap; pale buff becoming greyer at maturity.

Gills

The adnate gills are white at first, turning grey and then blackening.

Stem

The hollow white stem is typically 2.5 to 5mm in diameter, slightly swollen near the base, and up to 10cm tall. 

Spore print

Black.

Odour/taste

Not distinctive.

Habitat

On or beside broad-leaved tree stumps and dead roots.

Season

May to November.

Occurrence

Uncommon.

Similar species

Coprinellus micaceus is similar but is brown rather than grey at maturity; its spores are mitre shaped rather than oval.

Coprinellus disseminatus also appears in large groups but is smaller and does not have mica-like granules on its cap surface.