''Coprinus'' is a small

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the n ...

-forming

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

consisting of ''

Coprinus comatus ''Coprinus comatus'', commonly known as the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, is a species of fungus. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The white ca ...

''the shaggy ink cap (

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

) 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, p ...

)and several of its close relatives. Until 2001, ''Coprinus'' was a large genus consisting of all

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

species in which the

lamella Lamella (: lamellae) means a small plate or flake in Latin, and in English may refer to: Biology * Lamella (mycology), a papery rib beneath a mushroom cap * Lamella (botany) * Lamella (surface anatomy), a plate-like structure in an animal * Lame ...

e autodigested to release their

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...

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 con ...

"ink cap" (

) 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 The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. Taxonomy The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...

. Since ''Coprinus comatus'' is the

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

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 The Psathyrellaceae are a family of dark-spored agarics that generally have rather soft, fragile fruiting bodies, and are characterized by black, dark brown, rarely reddish, or even pastel-colored spore prints. About 50% of species produce frui ...

: ''

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 '' Co ...

'', ''

Coprinopsis ''Coprinopsis'' is a genus of mushrooms in the family (biology), family Psathyrellaceae.' ''Coprinopsis'' was split out of the genus ''Coprinus'' based on molecular phylogenetics, molecular data. The species ''Coprinopsis cinerea'' is a model org ...

'', and '' Parasola''. ''Coprinus'' and these segregate genera are now referred to collectively as ''coprinoid fungi''. ''Coprinus'' is New Latin, from the Greek ''koprinos'', "of dung", in reference to the habitat of some of the species.

Species

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

'' (shaggy ink cap, shaggy cap, lawyer's wig) *'' Coprinus spadiceisporus'' *'' Coprinus sterquilinus''

Selected former species

*''Coprinus atramentarius'' - now ''

Coprinopsis atramentaria ''Coprinopsis atramentaria'', commonly known as the common ink cap, tippler's bane, or inky cap, is a species of fungus. Previously known as ''Coprinus atramentarius'', it is the second best-known ink cap and previous member of the genus '' ...

'' (Common inkcap) *''Coprinus micaceus'' - now '' Coprinellus micaceus'' (Mica cap) *''Coprinus plicatilis'' - now ''

Parasola plicatilis ''Parasola plicatilis'', commonly known as the pleated inkcap, is a small saprotrophic mushroom. The body resembles a cocktail umbrella. The plicate cap is up to wide. The species has no veil. Though nonpoisonous, the species is generally reg ...

References

Other works cited

* 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

Coprinoid Mushrooms: The Inky Caps
by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.com'', February, 2005.

by Tom Volk, ''TomVolkFungi.net''.

– taxonomy and keys to coprinoid fungi. {{Authority control Agaricaceae Agaricales genera

Species

Selected former species

See also

References

Other works cited

External links