Query on Shaggy Inkcaps

[loripo]

I photographed one of these about 3 years ago, nearby on a tatty are of grass near a busstop I use regularly. I havent seen any more until a couple of days ago when the second one appeared. Is this chance that they have appeared in not just the same little area but what looks like the exact same spot. Do they have underground components that they spring from when conditions are right?
( I did do a search on the Fungi Forums, but the answers were all recipes it seems, shades of Hannibal Lector - I expected one to say they'd had theirs with Fava beans and a nice Chianti)

My I also apologise to yorkshireTrev for leading him astray about the recording of his finds. I know a yorkshireTrev originally from Crofton who lives near this very busstop.

[ManwithNoname]

Originally Posted by loripo

Do they have underground components that they spring from when conditions are right?

The mushroom is just the reproductive body, which produces spores for dispersal. The vegetative or growing part of the fungus is the underground network of hyphae known as the mycelium. I'm sure others can add more to the story.

[Chris Yeates]

hi

the fungus is almost certainly growing from some buried wood - it is therefore not surprising that the fruiting-bodies are appearing in the same spot

I was once told that the reason this species is often seen on the lawns of houses on new estates is because the builders have dumped any broken window frames etc. in the gardens and they have then just been covered with a couple of inches of topsoil and seeded with grass-seed - the ink-caps are the give-away

cheers

Chris

[loripo]

Ah yes - there used to be a row of Victorian houses with basements there - so no doubt thats what they did. And theres a small plane tree a few feet away. I should have remembered mycelium from growing packs of mushrooms some time ago - I still have some of the accompanying small black flies about my houseplants