SHAGGY INKCAP MUSHROOM : Coprinus comatus
Coprinus comes from The Greek Kupros, meaning dung, because many species within the genus grow on dung. Comatus is Latin, meaning long haired. [Foraging Course Company]. These are quite common and can be found along the road sides, in parklands, the edges of woodands (as our example) and even popping up in lawns.
Totally Wild UK describes it as 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.
The Foraging Course Company adds :
Use as a food :Must be consumed quickly after gathering before it deliquesces. It is still good for soups, stews and stocks when it begins to deliquesce. Use in herbal medicine Has been researched for its antiandrogenic and blood sugar lowering properties.
Hazards This mushroom must be cooked before it deliquesces. It also bioaccumulates heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, so avoid harvesting from roadsides or areas known to have heavy metals within the soil.
This one reached this stage in November.
Certainly getting shaggy around its lower edges.
FORAGING COURSE COMPANY : https://www.foragingcoursecompany.co.uk/foraging-guide-shaggy-inkcap
TOTALLY WILD UK : https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/01/11/shaggy-inkcaps-coprinus-comatus-identification/
WILDLIFE TRUSTS : https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/fungi/shaggy-inkcap
