''Coprinus'' is a small genus of mushroom-forming fungi consisting of ''

Coprinus comatus ''Coprinus comatus'', the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, is a common fungus often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then th ...

''the shaggy ink cap ( British) or shaggy mane (

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

)and several of its close relatives. Until 2001, ''Coprinus'' was a large genus consisting of all agaric species in which the lamellae autodigested to release their

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s. The black ink-like liquid this creates gave these species their

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

"ink cap" ( British) or "inky cap" (

Molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

investigation found that ''Coprinus comatus'' was only a distant relative of the other members of ''Coprinus'', and was closer to genera in the Agaricaceae. Since ''Coprinus comatus'' is the type species of ''Coprinus'', only that species and its close relatives ''C. sterquilinus'' and ''C. spadiceisporus'' retained the name of the genus. The majority of species of ''Coprinus'' were therefore reclassified into three genera placed in Psathyrellaceae: ''

Coprinellus ''Coprinellus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi in the family Psathyrellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by the Finnish mycologist Petter Adolf Karsten in 1879. Most ''Coprinellus'' species were transferred from the once large genus ''Copr ...

'', ''

Coprinopsis ''Coprinopsis'' is a genus of mushrooms in the family Psathyrellaceae. ''Coprinopsis'' was split out of the genus ''Coprinus'' based on molecular data. The species ''Coprinopsis cinerea'' (='' Coprinus cinereus'') is a model organism for mushroo ...

'', and ''

Parasola ''Parasola'' is a genus of coprinoid mushrooms in the family Psathyrellaceae. These small frail fungi have translucent caps where the radiating gills look like the spokes of a parasol (except for ''P. conopilea'' which was recently added to the ...

''. ''Coprinus'' and these segregate genera are now referred to collectively as ''coprinoid fungi''. ''Coprinus'' means "living on dung".

Species

Species of the genus include, but are not limited to: *''

Coprinus calyptratus ''Coprinus calyptratus'' is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. It is commonly known as the Star-capped Coprinus. Taxonomy ''Coprinus calyptratus'' was classified by the American mycologist Charles Horton Peck in 1895. Descriptio ...

'' *''

'' (shaggy ink cap, shaggy cap, lawyer's wig) *''

Coprinus spadiceisporus ''Coprinus'' is a small genus of mushroom-forming fungi consisting of ''Coprinus comatus''the shaggy ink cap (British English, British) or shaggy mane (American English, American)and several of its close relatives. Until 2001, ''Coprinus'' was a ...

'' *''

Coprinus sterquilinus ''Coprinus sterquilinus'', the midden ink cap, is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. It grows on animal dung and occurs in Europe, Asia and America. Description ''C. sterquilinus'' has an ellipsoid or ovoid cap, some by when close ...

Selected former species

*''Coprinus atramentarius'' - now '' Coprinopsis atramentaria'' (Common inkcap) *''Coprinus micaceus'' - now ''

Coprinellus micaceus ''Coprinellus micaceus'' is a common species of mushroom-forming fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae with a cosmopolitan distribution. The fruit bodies of the saprobe typically grow in clusters on or near rotting hardwood tree stumps or unde ...

'' (Mica cap) *''Coprinus plicatilis'' - now ''

Parasola plicatilis ''Parasola plicatilis'' is a small saprotrophic mushroom with a plicate cap (diameter up to 35 mm). It is a widely distributed species in Europe and North America. This ink cap species is a decomposer which can be found in grassy areas, al ...

References

*Pierre Montarnal : ''Le petit guide : Champignons'' (Genève, 1964; Paris-Hachette, 1969). *Régis Courtecuisse, Bernard Duhem : ''Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe'' (Delachaux & Niestlé, 1994–2000). *Roger Phillips : ''Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe'' (Pan Books Ltd. 1981 / Book Club Associates 1981) - for the English names.

External links

"The Genus ''Coprinus'': The Inky Caps"
by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.com'', February, 2005.

– taxonomy and keys to coprinoid fungi.

by Tom Volk, ''TomVolkFungi.net''. {{Authority control Agaricaceae Agaricales genera

Species

Selected former species

See also

References

External links