Cap |
Initially egg-shaped and opening into a long
bell, the shaggy caps are at first pure white pale brown area at the top
that breaks up into large recurved scales. In dry weather the whole of
the cap breaks into pale flaking scales that stand out from the cap
surface. Rain flattens the scales, as has happened in the case of the
group shown here.
Typically 5 to 10 but occasionally 15 cm tall and up to 6 cm in
diameter, the caps darken and then deliquesce from the lower edge,
eventually leaving just the stipe with a very small black disc perched
on top. |
Gills |
The adnexed to free gills are crowded and
initially white. They soon turn pink and then black before deliquescing
(liquefying) from the outside edge.
In this picture three large Shaggy Ink Caps have been reduced to
little more than stems with small inky discs perched on the top. |
Stipe
|
The stem is parallel sided, 10 to 15 mm
diameter; white, quite brittle and hollow.
The stem ring becomes stained with black spores; it soon becomes
movable and often falls down to the base of the stem. |
Spore print |
Black. |
Odour/taste |
Faint and quite pleasant, but not
distinctive. |
Habitat |
On grass verges, at the edges of footpaths,
and in open woodland; often in small groups and occasionally in long,
wandering lines. |
Season |
April to November, but most plentiful in
summer and autumn; they appear in greatest abundance soon after rain. |
Occurrence |
Frequent. |
Similar species |
- Coprinus picaceus is at first very similar but is covered
with tiny white scales which, as the cap turns grey and expands,
stand out in distinct patches to give it a 'magpie-like' appearance
- hence its common name Magpie Ink Cap.
|
