Panaeolus ?

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 30-05-2009, 12:57 PM

Found these yesterday, growing as a widely scattered troop of about 40 individuals, on a horse dung heap at a farm.

Fruitbodies all appeared to be of the same type of fungus, with specimens ranging from just emerged to very old.

Nearest I can get to an ID appears to be Panaeolus semiovatus - Egghead Mottlegill, but the physical size of some of these seems on the large side for that - Largest were easily 18cm tall, with caps 75-80mm across.

Any help with ID confirmation/other much appreciated.

Regards
Mike

flaxton · #2 (**permalink**) 30-05-2009, 05:29 PM

Mike
Panaeolus semiovatus can be that size and a bit more so you are right with your id.

Mal

Lancashire Lad · #3 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 06:30 PM

Thanks Mal,

I thought logically, they should be Panaeolus semiovatus, but i've never found them anywhere near this size previously.

I was thrown slightly by the details in Jordan & Phillips, which (both) say they grow to 100mm stipe, with 60mm cap - which is considerably less than these were.

Regards
Mike.

ron1863 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 06:47 PM

Cheers Mike, I was going to put this one up for ID but I think it's the same as yours (probably wrong again though

). Found growing on high moorland from an old cow pat. There were hundreds in a small area but mostly old or dried up and very large specimens as it has been hot and sunny for the past few days.

Excuse the bad photograph but I had accidently set the ISO at 1500 on a very sunny day

and only realised later - a good lesson for me - check first.

Lancashire Lad · #5 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 06:52 PM

Hi Ron,

Looks a cert. for Panaeolus semiovatus to me. - Identical to the ones I found. My previous (but smaller) ones were also found on cow dung, so habitat's right.

Regards
Mike.

ron1863 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 06:55 PM

Cheers Mike and I wasn't even looking for fungi that day but couldn't miss them as they large and numerous.

Ron

flaxton · #7 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Thanks Mal,

I thought logically, they should be Panaeolus semiovatus, but i've never found them anywhere near this size previously.

I was thrown slightly by the details in Jordan & Phillips, which (both) say they grow to 100mm stipe, with 60mm cap - which is considerably less than these were.

Regards
Mike.

Mike

Bon gives the maximum as 150mm

FoS 150mm

Courtecuisse 180mm

but Funga Nordica goes for the full 200mm

Mal

mollisia · #8 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 10:28 PM

Hello,

yes for the Panaeolus semiovatus, which is the only Pnaeolus with a sticky cap.
But the last two pictures show another Panaeolus species, may be even two different ones.

best regards,
Andreas

SheffieldLass · #9 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Thanks Mal,

I thought logically, they should be Panaeolus semiovatus, but i've never found them anywhere near this size previously.

I was thrown slightly by the details in Jordan & Phillips, which (both) say they grow to 100mm stipe, with 60mm cap - which is considerably less than these were.

Regards
Mike.

These were some grand ones I found last year. I didn't pick the biggest (the one in the foreground), it was too beautiful, but the next biggest is the one shown on the A4 sheet of paper (with a comparative tiddler) which should give an idea of the size. They were certainly whoppers ...

Melanie

Lancashire Lad · #10 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 11:24 PM

Hi Andreas,

The last two photos were included as I thought they showed the same P.semiovatus firstly having dried out, and finally beginning to rot. (They were amongst the same troop).

I didn't consider that they might be a different species, so didn't take any further pics of those particular specimens.

Regards
Mike.