Shaggy Inkcap / Autumn / Edible

Common names

Shaggy inkcap, Lawyer’s wig, Shaggy mane

Scientific name

Coprinus comatus

Family

Agaricaceae

Habitat

Grassland, lawns, verges often in large numbers

Description

Magpie inkcaps are bell shaped white floccose mushrooms with a long white stem.

Identifying features:

Cap: 

White cap with white fibrils, starting off egg shaped,  becoming long bell shaped. The cap can reach upto 7cm, at maturity the cap will start to deliquescing (liquifying into its spore mass) Some times gets called a lawyers wig because of the curled fibrils. 

Stem:

Tall white stem which has a tight ring, it is bulbous at the base.

Gills

Adnate or free gills which are white, turning reddish pink to grey then black as they deliquesce (melts)

Smell:

Very faint mushroomy

Spores:

Black

Uses

Edible but can also be used as an ink for writing or vegan squid ink alternative 

In Food

This mushroom has a short shelf life once picked it can start to become black liquid within 24hrs. Young specimens are excellent fried.

Known Hazards

none

Potential lookalikes 

Magpie inkcap (Coprinopsis picacea), but this has  light scales on a dark background and the Shaggy Inkcap has a white background with white or slightly darker scales.

Extra Notes

When you cook with these when the caps are on the turn, they will dye everything you cook with them black, perfect for Halloween when they tend to still be about. If the caps have started to open when you pick them you will have to eat them that day. Young ones may last 48 hours in the fridge if you are lucky.