Wacky spores

[SheffieldLass]

Went out today and there are a lot of Coprinus (in the older broad sense) about, thanks to some very heavy rain over the last few days (it's looking quite exciting fungi-wise right now), and I've only just started to look at them, but was delighted to see these spores ....



Coprinellus angulatus yippee!

I've not even downloaded the photos of the fungus off my camera, those Coprinus wait for no-one, but will add to this thread when I've got round to it.

There were on and around a burnt willow stump. There were also some orange discomycetes (well sort of saucer-shaped), rather small growing in the wood ash. I'll feature them also. And indeed all that was of interest on that site, though only those two were on the burnt areas, well actually there was another Coprinopsis on the stump too, not Coprinellus angulatus as it didn't have those spores, but not sure what, yet. Also quite a few pale Pluteus, with dentate veil remnants, rather pretty, nearby, in soil full of very rotten twigs and wood.

Melanie

[Ditiola]

Hi Melanie

What you have there are mitriforme spores or spore the shape of a bishops mitre.

Marcel Bons book is useful with spore shapes as they are drawn on the edge of the page.

There is one species in Bon with exactly the same shaped spores this is Coprinus angulatus. Habit 'On burnt soil or charred wood'

I have not looked it up to see what genus it is in now, or if there are any others species with mitrifore spores

Peter

[Ditiola]

Melanie

I have just looked C.angulatus on the BMS database. If that is what you have got. It is now Coprinellus and there are 174 UK records, so quite uncommon.

Peter