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Glistening Inkcap

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Glistening Inkcap

Edible

Edible
Autumn

Autumn
Spring

Spring
Summer

Summer
Winter

Winter

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.

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

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.

Foraging Pocket Guide
Mushroom Guide
Foraging Basket with shoulder strap

COMMENTS

One response to “Glistening Inkcap”

  1. Nathaniel Joe Anderson avatar
    Nathaniel Joe Anderson

    I have found mushrooms that look similar to this. The stems are white and hollow, but they bruis pink. The caps are bell shaped with a nippel , and pink but darker twords the center. The gills are pink but turn gray. I am doing a spore print now.

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