Coprinus picaceus - Magpie Inkcap

Coprinus picaceus - Magpie Inkcap

I found Magpie Inkcap last week. Bunny Wood, Nottinghamshire.   This Inkcap is uncommon and mostly to be found in Southern Britain.  There have been a few recordings in the county of Nottinghamshire (4), so was thrilled to have come across this - especially as I have been on the look out for it for over a decade.  It was solitary and growing next to a Hawthorn tree.  Unusually, it was growing on its side and was still attached to the ground as seen in photographs below.

Characteristics:  Cap up to 8 cm high, firstly conical then bell-shaped in maturity.  Initially white and then turning hues of grey, finally black and covered in patches of remnants of veil which can vary between pink to clay.  The gills are crowded, pinkish and with maturity black.  The stem can reach heights of 30 cm and has a white woolly base which is bulbous. Deliquescing with age.  Late Summer to Autumn in mixed woods but mainly beech.

Showing perspective

Showing the clay/pink remnants of veil on the cap

Showing gills at maturity

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii - Plantpot Dapperling

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii - Plantpot Dapperling

I recently received an email from a volunteer at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh who required some help with fungi identifications.  He also sent me a photograph of a fungus found in a Research Glasshouse that was growing in a plant pot next to an Amorphophallus paeoniifolius.  

Plantpot Dapperling or Flowerpot Parasol is a tropical fungus that can be found in heated glasshouses or greenhouses all year round.  It is uncommon and its characteristics are:

Cap up to 5 cm across, firstly ovate then bell-shaped and at maturity flat with an umbo.  Its colour can vary from bright yellow to greenish yellow/pale yellow and when dry more brown.  The texture is dry/mealy/minutely scaly.  In some mature examples the margin edge can be striate.

The gills are free, yellow and crowded.  The stem is slender but can have a slightly bulbous base.  A small ring may be seen high up on the stem and also there may be remnants of veil.  Although the ring can  disappear.  It should not be eaten.

With kind regards and thanks to Robert Jones and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for allowing me to use this photograph.

Plantpot Dapperling