? Coprinus
Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink Cap
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi Division: Basidiomycota Class: Homobasidiomycetes Order: Agaricales Family: Coprinaceae Genus: Coprinus
Species
atramentarius comatus micaceus picaceus ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (658x878, 361 KB) Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink Cap (or Lawyers Wig) photo taken by User:Strobilomyces (me) on a French roadside on 11th November 2003 File links The following pages link to this file: Coprinus ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Divisions Chytridiomycota Zygomycota Glomeromycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota Yellow fungus Fungus growing on a tree in Borneo For the fictional character, see Fungus the Bogeyman. ... Classes Subdivision Teliomycotina    Urediniomycetes Subdivision Ustilaginomycotina    Ustilaginomycetes Subdivision Hymenomycotina    Homobasidiomycetes - mushrooms The Division Basidiomycota is a large taxon within the Kingdom Fungi that includes those species that produce spores in a club_shaped structure called a basidium. ... former Orders Subclass Homobasidiomycetidae    Agaricales    Boletales    Cantharellales    Corticiales    Ganodermatales    Gomphales    Hericiales    Hydnales    Hymenochaetales    Polyporales (Aphyllophorales)    Poriales    Russulales    Schizophyllales    Stereales    Thelephorales Subclass Gasteromycetidae    Lycoperdales    Nidulariales    Phallales    Sclerodermatales    Tulostomatales The Class Homobasidiomycetes is a taxonomic division in the Subdivision Hymenomycotina of the Division Basidiomycota (in the Kingdom Fungi). ... Families Agarics (also known as gilled mushrooms) are one of the most familiar types of mushrooms. ...

The genus Coprinus (commonly known as Ink caps) is a group of basidiomycete fungi, having the principal characteristic that the gills deliquesce (turn to ink) at maturity. The spore colour varies from blackish brown to black. Classes Subdivision Teliomycotina    Urediniomycetes Subdivision Ustilaginomycotina    Ustilaginomycetes Subdivision Hymenomycotina    Homobasidiomycetes - mushrooms The Division Basidiomycota is a large taxon within the Kingdom Fungi that includes those species that produce spores in a club_shaped structure called a basidium. ... Gills are the spore-bearing structure in agarics (gilled mushrooms). ...

There are many species of Coprinus, but the only good edible one is C. comatus (the Shaggy Ink Cap) which must be eaten very young. C. atramentarius (the Common Ink Cap) and C. micaceus (the Glistening Ink Cap) may possibly also be eaten but provoke cardiovascular problems if alcohol is drunk with them or even if it is consumed up to several days later.

Many of these species like well-fertilized ground and some grow directly on dung (which is the meaning of the Latin name Coprinus). On the other hand, there are also some which grow on wood.

Principal species

Coprinus atramentarius, the Common Ink Cap

Like many ink caps Coprinus atramentarius grows in tufts. It is associated with buried wood and is found in meadows, disturbed ground, and open terrain. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1305 KB) Deze foto toont de kale inktzwam. ...

The cap, a greyish or brownish grey colour, is furrowed and later splits. The very crowded gills are whitish at first but rapidly turn black and easily deliquesce. It is toxic with alcohol, containing a toxin (coprine) which blocks degradation of alcohol in the liver for several days. In the past, actual drawing ink was made from these mushrooms.

French: Coprin noir d'encre, Dutch: Kale inktzwam

Coprinus comatus, the Shaggy Ink Cap or Lawyer's Wig

The Shaggy Ink Cap is easily recognizable from its cap which initially covers almost the whole of its stem. Entirely white to begin with, the cap becomes shaggy as separating scales develop. The gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. It is deliquescent, but less so than the previous species. It grows in groups in places which are often unexpected, such as green areas in towns. When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly). Image File history File links Coprinus_300px-Geschubde_inktzwam3. ...

French: Coprin chevelu, German: Schopftintling, Dutch: Geschubde inktzwam

Coprinus micaceus, the Glistening Ink Cap

This mushroom grows in tufts and its dimensions are smaller than those of the two preceding species. Its very striate cap has an ochraceous colour which makes it easily identifiable. Its summit carries the fine sparkling granules which earned it its common and scientific names. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1098 KB) Coprinus micaceus (Bull. ...

French: Coprin micacé, Dutch: Gewone glimmerinktzwam

Coprinus picaceus, the Magpie Fungus

Unlike the others, this one is generally solitary. Its blackish brown cap is covered with a white veil which cracks apart to leave white patches. It has an unpleasant smell of bitumen or indole. Image File history File links Spechttintling. ... Bitumen Bitumen is a category of organic liquids which are highly viscous, black, sticky and wholly soluble in carbon disulfide. ... Indole is an aromatic heterocyclic organic compound. ...

French: Coprin blanc et noir, German: Spechttintling

References

• Translated from the French page and Dutch pages.
• Pierre Montarnal : Le petit guide : Champignons (Genève, 1964; Paris-Hachette, 1969).
• Régis Courtecuisse, Bernard Duhem : Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe (Delachaux & Niestlé, 1994-2000). ISBN 2-603-00953-2
• Roger Phillips : Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe (Pan Books Ltd. 1981 / Book Club Associates 1981) - for the English names.