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Coprinus comatus
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: anita and mike allsopp (juanit)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 49 W: 4 N: 123]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif) (676) |
| Genre: Fungi |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-04-20 |
| Categories: Fungi |
| Camera: Canon 400D, Tamrom 90mm f2.8 DI |
| Exposure: f/3.5, 1/800 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-06-16 13:27 |
| Viewed: 370 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
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 fruiting bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales - this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the “ink cap” name). Its specific name derives from coma, or “hair”, hence comatus, “haired” or “shaggy”.
When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly because of the autodigestion of its gills and cap). The species is cultivated in China as food.
Coprinus comatus is the type species for the genus Coprinus. This genus was formerly considered to be a large one with well over 100 species. However, molecular analysis of DNA sequences showed that the former species belonged in 2 families, the Agaricaceae and the Psathyrellaceae. Coprinus comatus is the best known of the true Coprinus. Adding to its unusual features, a recent study has found the shaggy ink cap kills nematode species Panagrellus redivivus and Meloidogyne arenaria.[1] See also nematophagous fungus.
Description.
Shaggy Ink CapsThe shaggy ink cap is easily recognizable from its cap which initially covers almost the whole of its stem. Entirely white to begin with, the cap becomes shaggy as separating scales develop. The gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. It is deliquescent. Microscopically it lacks pleurocystidia.
Distribution and habitat.
It grows in groups in places which are often unexpected, such as green areas in towns. It occurs widely in grasslands and meadows in Europe and North America. It appears to have been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. |
LordPotty, gpeler has marked this note useful
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Hello Anita and Mike,
Very funny to see the same fungi as neighbours on the gallery. Yours is younger than the Polish! I think you can add some sharpness to the photo, maybe after resizing for TN. Best regards,
Catherine
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 146 W: 4 N: 664]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(2390)![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1171 W: 145 N: 2708]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(8374)
Hi Anita and Mike,
You've picked a very diffcult subject here,a white fungus in very bright sunlight.
You might have seen my comments on Adrians Coprinus (next to yours).
They are relevant here obviously.
I think it would have been best here to aim your focus at a brighter area a few centimetres below the top of the cap.
This way,your camera would adjust the aperture for the brightness,and you would have got better DOF.
A little exposure compensation would have been an idea too.
A great subject,but a little more practice at this kind of shot is needed I think.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful mushroom.
(Sorry ... I have no points left today)
Cheers
Steve