scaly ink cap
Coprinopsis variegata
This mushroom practices auto-digestion; as it matures, its gills dissolve into a black, spore-filled liquid in a process called deliquescence.
- Scientific name
- Coprinopsis variegata
- Taxonomy
- Fungi › Basidiomycota › Agaricomycetes › Agaricales › Psathyrellaceae › Coprinopsis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, growing in clusters on decaying hardwood logs, stumps, or woodchips.
- Diet
- Saprotrophic (decomposing dead wood and organic matter).
- Range
- North America, Europe
- Size
- Cap 3-8 cm wide, stem 4-12 cm tall.
- Lifespan
- Fruiting bodies last only 24 to 48 hours, but the underground mycelium can live for decades.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Deforestation and the over-clearing of deadwood from forest floors.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but do not consume. This mushroom is toxic and causes severe gastrointestinal distress, especially if combined with alcohol. If ingested, seek medical attention immediately.
Coprinopsis variegata , commonly known as the scaly ink cap or the feltscale inky cap , is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. Distributed in eastern North America, it has a medium-sized, bell-shaped to flattened cap up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) in diameter, with felt-like, patchy scales. The gills, initially white, turn black in maturity and eventually dissolve into a black "ink". Fruit bodies grow in clusters or groups on leaf litter or rotted hardwood, although the...
Photo: Fluff Berger, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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