Fungi in my compost bin!

[Morchella]

Opened the lid to give the worms some more scraps this afternoon and what do I see poking up but (I think) some Coprinus. Pretty sure it's not atramentarius because it doesn't have the brown wooly stuff at the base, but other than that a bit stumped. A bit of a poke around revealed that it seemed to be attached to a bit of torn up cardboard (the worms like cardboard) so perhaps this is close enough to wood to qualify? I suppose the other thing to bear in mind is that it's been growing in near darkness so perhaps atypically?

Any suggestions welcome

[shroomboy]

Hi,

I had the very same fungus in my compost bin a few years back, well something very similar. Its either a Coprinopsis or a Leucocoprinus but which I never got a chance to ID it before it melted away. It looks very similar to Coprinopsis lagopus = Coprinus lagopus but lacking the darker grey colour beneath the ' Hairs" probably due to lack of light in the bin, your bin does have a lid on it, yes? Having said that it could be another species.

Andy

[Morchella]

The bin does have a lid on it, albeit with very small holes to let the worms breathe. Is that a name change for Coprinus lagopus?

[shroomboy]

Thats right, all of the genus Coprinus has changed, so some of the smaller Coprinus such as C. plicatilis are now Parasola plicatilis there are also Coprinellus among which you will find C. micaceus & C. domesticus & Coprinopsis the only Coprinus left is the C. comatus the Lawyers Wig.

Andy

[shroomboy]

Coprinopsis isn't a part of Coprinellus which is the way my last post reads, it is a separate genus.

Andy