A Field of Shaggy Inkcaps

solus · #1 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 07:58 PM

Look what I found today! A whole field full of Shaggy Inkcaps - Coprinus comatus!!!

We were driving through the Cotswolds looking for somewhere new to walk and look for fungi this afternoon when we passed this lot in what looks like a part-time playing field just outside a village. Just had to stop for some photos - even bored hubby was enthusiastic about so many all at once.

I know I'm going to upset those of you who enjoy the odd yummie - but we didn't pick a single one.

(I still adhere to my rule to only eat cultivated mushrooms bought from the Farm Shop or supermarket, being one of life's little cowards.

)

Note the black rings on the grass beneath these, which I rather like.

We ended up walking along one of several long, wide woodland rides on Earl Bathurst's Cirencester Park Estate where I found several fungi, some of which I need to try and ID, but amongst them was this Magpie Cap, Coprinus picaceus:

NickCantle · #2 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:07 PM

LOL! That's ridiculous! Wow, i'm soooo jealous!

Lovely find Solus

vole-woman · #3 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:09 PM

Blimey. So can you eat these, theoretically? I once fried a bit of a Giant Puffball and it was quite nice.

Cazzie · #4 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:14 PM

That's a find alrighty, excellent!

oh, and the magpie too

NickCantle · #5 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:15 PM

You can eat these, yes. In fact I had some for breakfast this morning

Stewy · #6 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:21 PM

Massive patch! 300+ I would reckon?

galanthus · #7 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:24 PM

Wow ! Whilst admiring fungi in general, I'm not overly excited by most of it, however, this is some gathering.

NickCantle · #8 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:25 PM

I reckon so Stew. Everytime I click on this thread to see the new post, I swear more appear

Kerry · #9 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:26 PM

You didn't eat them?

What a waste. They are the nicest mushrooms going and lovely with freshly baked bread.

NickCantle · #10 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:29 PM

Not sure about nicest mushrooms going, but they are nice, yes

FlyAgaric · #11 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:34 PM

Don’t they only taste nice when they are new?

Stewy · #12 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyAgaric

Don’t they only taste nice when they are new?

Yup, you want the young little fellas to eat.

Jez · #13 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 09:03 PM

I would have eat the whole field not a single blade of grass to be seen but i'm far to busy working these days

NickCantle · #14 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 09:06 PM

No cow pat in this field Jez, sorry buddy

lauriek · #15 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 09:06 PM

Wow, what a find!! I thought I was doing pretty well here but I think you have about 20x as many!!!

You see that little fella in the third picture - thats the sort you want to eat. Personally I'm not that keen on the stems so I just pluck the caps off. You don't want to eat them if they've started to turn black, and you have to eat them quite quickly after picking them or they turn to ink...

I'm also pretty cowardly when it comes to wild mushrooms but I'm pretty confident IDing this particular species now...

JP · #16 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 09:14 PM

4th one looks like a Magpie ink cap i wouldnt eat those as they are said to be mildly poisonous, not tried them so cant say personally, the others look shaggy ink caps or lawyers wigs and can be eaten in the early stages, as with all fungi if in doubt leave it out! and never rely on one ID book alone take at least 3 and cross reference, some UK fungy will NOT give you a second chance so please be very carefull.

NickCantle · #17 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 09:16 PM

They are a good species to start off with for edibility...

Fungus Ken · #18 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP

4th one looks like a Magpie ink cap.

I can see what you mean but the cap isn't dark enough and the habitat is not right. This is just Coprinus comatus.

Ken

NickCantle · #19 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:38 PM

It's a funny looking Comatus

Stewy · #20 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:43 PM

I reckon it's a Magpie but the what the hell do I know.............

NickCantle · #21 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:45 PM

Well Stew, you know quite a bit. I've seen mushrooms growing out of their usual environments before, I just can't see this not being a Magpie.

Fungus Ken · #22 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:50 PM

Maybe you're right but Coprinus picaceus is a woodland species, often growing under beech, so it would be very unusual to find it growing out in a field like the one shown in the photo. That's what I mean about the habitat not being right.

Ken

Stewy · #23 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:55 PM

Could it be growing on the edge of the woods perhaps?

NickCantle · #24 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 10:55 PM

I see what you mean definitely Ken, but it looks like it's growing 20m max from woodland which can be seen in the background. I've seen species stray a few feet into different terrain in which they wouldn't usually grow.

Nick