Help needed with ID please

[waynehicks1]

I found a few of these today growing at the edge of a wood amongst soil and wood chips from a nearby lumber mill. I think yesterday's one hour downpour might have been just enough to trigger their growth.

I'm going with Coprinus, but I'm stuck with the next part! I thought possibly C.plicatilis but I have my doubts. Just to add, the gills were dark, almost black, which you can't really see from my pictures.

[stickman]

Hi Wayne,

I think Parasola plicatilis is a good shout.

This species was moved form Coprinus (along with many others) after DNA analysis proved that all the fungi formerly in that genus are rather unrelated. so now we now they are all spread through the genera Coprinus, Coprinellus, Coprinopsis and Parasola. Confusing eh?

Cheers, Nick.

[stickman]

Wayne,

I should probably add there are a few other Parasola species which are quite similar to P.plicatilis. I know Melanie likes these so it would be interesting to hear what her opinion is.

Cheers, Nick.

[waynehicks1]

Thanks Nick but I've just read that P.plicatilis is strictly a grassland species, so that rules that out then! Back to the drawing board, hmmm.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by waynehicks1

Thanks Nick but I've just read that P.plicatilis is strictly a grassland species, so that rules that out then! Back to the drawing board, hmmm.

hi

put quite simply, in my opinion without checking the spores none * of the dozen or so Parasola species known to occur in the British Isles, with perhaps the exception of P. auricoma (if you can see the hairs on the cap with a good handlens), can be named to species with any confidence . . . .

I suspect Melanie would agree - see Interesting Coprinellus/Coprinopsis/Parasola and ... for an indication of how you need to approach these fungi

cheers
Chris

* you can usually also do the tiny P. misera, but I only ever encounter that on dung cultures - it would be difficult to find it in the field in decent condition - plus it often doesn't get much taller than 5-7mm.!

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

hi

put quite simply, in my opinion without checking the spores none * of the dozen or so Parasola species known to occur in the British Isles, with perhaps the exception of P. auricoma (if you can see the hairs on the cap with a good handlens), can be named to species with any confidence . . . .

I suspect Melanie would agree - see Interesting Coprinellus/Coprinopsis/Parasola and ... for an indication of how you need to approach these fungi

cheers
Chris

* you can usually also do the tiny P. misera, but I only ever encounter that on dung cultures - it would be difficult to find it in the field in decent condition - plus it often doesn't get much taller than 5-7mm.!

I do agree. And yes I like these as they are very quick and easy under the microscope if you can measure the spores accurately!

Nice pics by the way.

Melanie