And finally (for now!)...

solus · #1 (**permalink**) 18-06-2007, 04:39 PM

Yesterday on a Cotswold limestone managed but unimproved grassland reserve (butterflies and flora, including Orchids), I found this baby Coprinus all alone but slap bang in the middle of a cow-pat. I think it is Coprinus niveus, but am a little bothered by the pinky-brown cap colour? There were no other specimens at all that I could find. The second photo is of the same specimen but the "other" side.

endless autumn · #2 (**permalink**) 18-06-2007, 07:32 PM

Seems to fit the relevant criteria for Coprinus niveus, solus.

solus · #3 (**permalink**) 20-06-2007, 01:34 PM

Thanks for that Endless Autumn.

Anyone seconding that, please, before I ask for the pics to be moved to the main Gallery??

AlanS · #4 (**permalink**) 22-06-2007, 04:41 PM

The veil is evidently composed largely or entirely of filamentous elements, so this definitely rules out C. niveus.

It might be C. cinereus, which has this type of veil and which can have this pinkish colour when young (later grey as the name suggests). I am not giving this as a definite ID though!

Alan

solus · #5 (**permalink**) 22-06-2007, 07:08 PM

*Sob* Why isn't anything I find straightforward?

My "bible" (Jordon) says that C. cinereus grows "on rotting or manured straw", whereas C. niveus is found on "cow or horse dung and manured straw." Well, mine, as I explained, was slap bang in the middle of a cow pat in a field, no straw to be seen! Which is why I plumped for C. niveus.

Incidentally, a near-identical "Google" image was labelled as C. pseudoniveus - can't find any references to this anywhere? Is it a new name, an old one, or just not British?

AlanS · #6 (**permalink**) 22-06-2007, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solus

*Sob* Why isn't anything I find straightforward?

My "bible" (Jordon) says that C. cinereus grows "on rotting or manured straw", whereas C. niveus is found on "cow or horse dung and manured straw." Well, mine, as I explained, was slap bang in the middle of a cow pat in a field, no straw to be seen! Which is why I plumped for C. niveus.

Incidentally, a near-identical "Google" image was labelled as C. pseudoniveus - can't find any references to this anywhere? Is it a new name, an old one, or just not British?

Ooooh. I forgot about C. pseudoniveus. It is too recently known to be included in the Coprinus part of the 'British Fungus Flora', which was what I used to remind myself of possibilities to check on further, before my previous reply.

I am still concerned about the nature of the veil, but the description on Uljé's authoritative website (currently the best account of European Coprinus species) does state that the veil is "hairy floccose" in the early stages, which would answer my concern. C. niveus, apart from being brilliantly white, has a clearly powdery veil.

I agree that C. cinereus is not normally on pure dung, which was one reason I was hedging my bets a bit, nor was I happy about the colour though I did check that it was possible in young material.

The fact is that with very few exceptions, no identification of a Coprinus can or should be made without checking several microscopic characters, and it needs to be borne in mind that there are many more species than are included in general field guides. However, I do now think that C. pseudoniveus is the most likely possibility - well spotted! It was first described as a species in 1993 and has been found in Britain a few times.

Description and photograph at:
Coprinus pseudoniveus ((NL: Valse witte mestinktzwam, 027.07.0))

Alan

solus · #7 (**permalink**) 23-06-2007, 12:56 PM

Thank you, Alan.

I will put this forward as probable C. pseudoniveus, then.

It was a very, very tiny specimen indeed - only about 3 or 4 cm high at most and looked far too cute to even consider picking, especially as there were no others in sight (and I got sidetracked by the Red Arrows flying over on their way home after the nearby Kemble Air day!) Definitely in the very early stages of its visible life!