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Panaeolus semiovatus 

 
Panaeolus semiovatus is invariably found on dung or recently manured soil and can appear at any time of year provided the ground is not frozen. It is small, inedible and rather brittle.

Identification guide

Cap

Hemispherical or like half an egg (hence the specific name); 2 to 6 cm in diameter; clay coloured or cream-brown; drying smooth and shiny but tending to wrinkle in dry weather.

The cap flesh is thin and off-white.

Gills

Off-white becoming mottled brown and darkening to black as the spores mature; often paler at the edge; adnate and crowded.

Stipe

The stipe (stem) is tall and slender. Although the lower two-thirds of the stipe is the same colour as as the cap, the colour becomes noticeably paler towards the apex.

A white, fragile, superior (upwards facing) ring persists to maturity.

The stem flesh is yellowish and very brittle.

Spore print

Black.

Odour/taste

Not distinctive.

Habitat

On or beside dung, particularly on upland meadows and common land.

Season

Mainly May to November, but these fungi may appear throughout the year if there is a spell of mild weather.

Occurrence

Fairly frequent.

Similar species

  1. Stropharia semiglobata, the Dung Roundhead, is more spherical, has a transient ring and leaves a brown spore print.
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