Ink Cap - Coprinopsis sp.
Delicate, gray-white cap with whitish stalks. Cap margins were curling upward from age. The stem and cap was very fragile.
Inky caps have gills that partially liquefy as the mushroom matures. While the "ink" produced from the liquefying gills can actually be used as writing ink, it has a much more important function from the perspective of the mushroom. Liquefying the gills is actually a very clever strategy for efficient spore dispersal. The gills liquefy from the bottom up as the spores mature. As this happens, the cap peels up and the maturing spores are thus always kept in the best position for catching the wind for dispersal.
Habitat: Meadow's edge
No species identified
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