The powdery ‘mica’ covering can be seen shining when the sun is out but this mushroom has little nutritional value so is best left alone or added to other mushrooms in a dish.
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Glistening Inkcap
(47 votes, average: 3.43 out of 5)
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Glistening Inkcap
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Glistening Inkcap (EN), Mica Cap (US), Cap Inc Gloyw (CY), Czernidłak Błyszczący (PL), Kerti Tintagomba (HU) |
| Scientific Name | Coprinellus micaceus |
| Synonyms | Coprinus micaceus |
| Season Start | Mar |
| Season End | Dec |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 4-6 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 2-3 |
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
2-3 cm. Orange/brown, ochraceous becoming a bit darker towards the centre. Initially bell-shaped becoming furrowed and then splitting. Has grooves running from the top of the cap to the edge and a covering of white powdery ‘mica’ which can wash off in the rain. The cap deliquesces or melts to a black liquid soon after maturity.
Gills
Gills white then brown and finally black. Crowded and free of the stem.
Stem
4-6 cm long, 0.2-0.4 cm diameter. White, slightly discoloured at the base. Thin.
Flesh
Very thin.
Habitat
Around broad leaved stumps or on buried wood.
Possible Confusion
It can look like Woodland Inkcap (Coprinellus silvaticus), pictured, after the rain has washed off the powdery ‘mica’. Coprinellus silvaticus is inedible so only mushrooms with the ‘mica’ covering should be eaten.
Spore Print
Date brown. Mitriform.
Taste / Smell
Mildly mushroomy, not really worth while unless mixing in with other mushrooms.
Frequency
Common.
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