Possibly Coprinus auricomus? - ID Help Please.

[Lancashire Lad]

Found today: -

Originally thought possibly Coprinus plicatilis - (Parasola plicatilis), but this seems to be slightly more robust, and has a distinctly tawny central cap colouration.

Now thinking more likely Coprinus auricomus.

Unfortunately, like most of the fungi around at present, looking distinctly dry.

Largest cap size approx. 1.75cm, stipe height approx 5cm.



Any ID confirmation or other suggestions much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

[diggleken]

Hi Mike, good luck with this, needs an expert!
Like you say, too robust for plicatilis, they often disappear next day or so anyway, auricomus also a bit delicate - what about c. domesticus? (but unlikely).
The dryness factor is affecting it too maybe.
Good luck.
Cheers
Ken

[flaxton]

Mike
C leiocephalus is the woodland equivalent of the grassland C plicatilis so this could be a possibility. C auricomus is relatively easy to identify by using a hand lens or better still a microscope to find the small hairs on the central part of the cap.

Mal

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by flaxton

Mike
C leiocephalus is the woodland equivalent of the grassland C plicatilis so this could be a possibility. C auricomus is relatively easy to identify by using a hand lens or better still a microscope to find the small hairs on the central part of the cap.

Mal

spot on - it looks like Parasola auricoma, but you do need to see those hairs

C

PS dry? - we've had a week of rain recently and it all looked to be coming from your direction !

[SheffieldLass]

BTW all the Parasola 'plicatilis' I have found recently are actually Parasola schroeteri . And there are plenty of P plicatilis recorded in this area and no P schroeteri (and only 1 C nudiceps decades ago, which was its older name). So my guess is that the spores were rarely checked microscopically, and the fungi just assumed to be P plicatilis. so one to be aware of.

Melanie

P.S. I've just checked my records and I've not yet found P plicatilis, the ones I've found are all P schroeteri, and they are from different sites in S Yorks, N Yorks and Northumberland, unimproved grassland to lawns to semi-improved grassland.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

BTW all the Parasola 'plicatilis' I have found recently are actually Parasola schroeteri . And there are plenty of P plicatilis recorded in this area and no P schroeteri (and only 1 C nudiceps decades ago, which was its older name). So my guess is that the spores were rarely checked microscopically, and the fungi just assumed to be P plicatilis. so one to be aware of.

Melanie

P.S. I've just checked my records and I've not yet found P plicatilis, the ones I've found are all P schroeteri, and they are from different sites in S Yorks, N Yorks and Northumberland, unimproved grassland to lawns to semi-improved grassland.

it's the curse of the popular book, I'm afraid, Melanie - look at all the records of Galerina hypnorum - Roy Watling in BBF 7 says: "Although widely figured in 'mushroom books' it is rather difficult to ascertain the true identity of G. hypnorum" - so that throws (at least) all pre-1993 UK records into doubt!

anyway . . . . back to my fungi collected in tall ruderal patches

C

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks for the replies everyone - much appreciated.

Under the lens, the central (darker brown area) of some of the caps was what I would describe as very finely "felt" like, but I would think somewhat affected by the general dryness of the caps - you can just about make this out when viewing the photo at largest size. Would that be the sort of thing that you mean by hairy?

Also, (may be diagnostic?) the caps were incredibly thin. When held in hand, it was very easy to see the coulour of my hand through the caps when looking between the gills.

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

....PS dry? - we've had a week of rain recently and it all looked to be coming from your direction !

Yes we have had some rain recently, but it seems to have just dampened the topsoil surfaces before drying out again. The ground around these parts is certainly (for the most part) very dry compared to normal.

Regards,
Mike.

[Ditiola]

Mike
I found a Coprinus (group) almost identical to the one you found, mine was growing on weathered wood chips last week.

As very often the same species occurs at different sites at the same time it is quite possible they are the same. I tried to key mine out using Fungi Nordica but unfortunately I was unable to come to any sort of conclusion, so I gave up. I may try again when more material becomes available.

Peter