Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Egghead Mottlegill

Facts
Common Name: 
Egghead Mottlegill
Scientific Name: 
Panaeolus semiovatus var. semiovatus
Also Known As: 
Panaeolus semiovatus
Stem Height (mm): 
Up to 150mm
Information
Description: 

This species, which grows on animal dung is extremely variable in size from just a few millimetres up to 150mm depending on the amout of nutrients available to it.

Distribution: 

Occasional to frequent.

Habitat: 

On weathered dung of herbivores, usually horse and cow dung, especially in upland or montane habitat.

Cap: 

Pale ivory to beige, smooth and sticky when wet, shiny and smooth when dry.

Gills: 

Crowded, grey to black in colour mottled with darker shades of grey or black.

Stem: 

The tall stem is buff to darker brown with a distinct ring on the stem, which is often stained black from fallen spores.

Additional Notes: 

Habitat: On weathered dung of herbivores, usually horse and cow dung, especially in upland or montane habitat. Notes: Common and widespread. Basidiomes are very variable in size, dependent on the amount of nutrient present in the substrate, thus very large and very small basidiomes will be encountered but these fall within the range of variation of the species.