Panaeolus papilionaceus - Petticoat Mottlegill

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

A neatly serrated edge to the cap margin, consisting of remnants of the partial veil, makes this a rather attractive dung fungus and is the source of its common name. Among its many synonyms this species is also recorded as Paneaeolus campanulatus and Panaeolus sphinctrinus.

A late coloniser of dung in farm fields, this mushroom often appears in groups and is most commonly seen where dung has rotted down and become overgrown with grass.

Identification guide

Cap	2 to 4cm across; initially conical, expanding to become bell shaped but never flattening; hygrophanous, pale brown or grey-brown with a darker centre, drying pallid grey; smooth and silky, sometimes cracking radially in dry weather; with tooth-like velar remains around rim.
Gills	Adnate; pale grey-brown with white edges, becoming mottled dark brown and then black at maturity.
Stem	6 to 12cm long and 4 to 8mm dia.; colour as cap but covered in a fine white powder; cylindrical; no ring.
Spore print	Black.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	On dung in permanent pastures and grazed common land.
Season	June to November.
Occurrence	Common.
Similar species	Stropharia semiglobata, the Dung Roundhead, has a transient ring and leaves a brown spore print. Panaeolus fimicola, the Turf Mottlegill, has a dark-brown cap when wet and dries out to become mid brown.