Hairy droop (Coprinopsis lagopus)
Systematics:
- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
- Order: Agaricales (Agaric or Lamellar)
- Family: Psathyrellaceae (Psatirellaceae)
- Genus: Coprinopsis (Koprinopsis)
- Species: Coprinopsis lagopus (Hairy dung)
Other names:
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Coprinus lagopus
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Fluffy dung
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Fluffy dung
Dung beetle fluffy, or fluffy (Latin Coprinopsis lagopus) – not a poisonous mushroom from the genus Coprinopsis (see Coprinus).
Fluffy dung beetle cap: Fusiform-elliptical in young mushrooms, as it grows (within a day, no longer) it opens to bell-shaped, then to almost flat with edges wrapped up; autolysis, self-dissolution of the cap, begins even at the bell-shaped stage, so that usually only its central part survives to the 'flat' stage. The diameter of the cap (at the spindle-shaped stage) is 1–2 cm, the height is 2–4 cm. The surface is densely covered with the remnants of a common bedspread – small white flakes similar to pile; in rare intervals, an olive-brown surface is visible. The flesh of the cap is very thin, fragile, quickly decomposes from the plates.
Plates: Frequent, narrow, loose, light gray in the first few hours, then darken to black, turning into ink mucus.
Spore powder: Violet black.
Leg: Height 5-8 cm, thickness up to 0.5 mm, cylindrical, often curved, white, covered with light scales.
Distribution: Hairy dung is sometimes found 'in summer and autumn' (the timing of fruiting needs to be clarified) in various places on well-rotted remains of deciduous trees, and sometimes, apparently, on richly manured soil. The fruiting bodies of the fungus develop and disappear very quickly, Coprinus lagopus is recognizable only in the first hours of life, so clarity on the distribution of the fungus will not come soon.
Similar species: The genus Coprinus is replete with similar species – blurring of characters and short life span make analysis difficult. Experts call Coprinus lagopides, which itself is larger, and the spores are smaller, as the 'twin' of the hairy dung beetle. In general, there are a lot of dung beetles, in which a common veil leaves small white decorations on the cap; Coprinus picaceus has black skin and larger flakes, while Coprinus cinereus is not so richly decorated, it is larger and grows on the soil. In general, there can be no question of any certainty of determination based on macroscopic features, not to mention fortune-telling from a photograph.
Edible: Described as inedible.
Remarks In the evening, having gone for a walk in the forest, I met a cute family of motley velvety dung beetles on a stump by the path, took some lazy pictures, leaving careful analysis for tomorrow. Not the most sensible thing to do: the next morning, only hemp smeared with black resin looked at me. The mushroom itself melted away. It seemed like a strange and unpleasant hint.
Photo of the fungus Hairy-footed dung from the recognition issues:
2018.01.16 Elena
