GLISTENING INKCAP

MICA INKAP

Coprinellus Micaceus

Inkcap (2) Family [Psathyrellaceae]

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

Grows in clusters on decayed wood, tree stumps or buried wood, usually on deciduous wood, but sometimes coniferous.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

Cap initially elongated and bell-shaped, but later turns bell-shaped as it ages and turns black.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

Honey-brown on top, merging to creamy brown on the sides.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

The pleated sides deepen with age until they split.

20th Sept 2009, Dunham Massey Deer Park, Cheshire.

Photo: © RWD

Growing on dead deciduous wood. A brownish bell-shaped cap with off-white stipe, cap initially glistening with white flecks.

20th Sept 2009, Dunham Massey Deer Park, Cheshire.

Photo: © RWD

The brown cap glistens with so-called mica-like flecks. The cap is slightly striated especially away from the apex.

20th Sept 2009, Dunham Massey Deer Park, Cheshire.

Photo: © RWD

The mushroom looks like it has been sprinkled with talcum powder.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

The glistening flakes soon fall off. Stem narrow without ring or volva.

20th Sept 2009, Dunham Massey Deer Park, Cheshire.

Photo: © RWD

On closer inspection the 'mica' flakes look more like salt or frost. It is unlikely to be mica, despite the Latin name!

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

Before the mushroom begins to deliquesce and turn to a black inky liquid the gills are dark brown to black anyway. Note the glistening flakes which are also present on the stipe (stem); they too will soon fall off.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

The white flecks are not spores, which are black, but yet more specks of the glistening flakes.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

After only a day or so, the edges beginning to turn black, curl upwards and split.

28th Oct 2011, Peak forest Canal, Marple.

Photo: © RWD

The liquefaction process continues until all the cap has gone black and melted away in a black inky liquid containing the black spores.

Some similarities to : Firerug Inkcap which is larger at 4cm across than the 3cm of Glistening Inkcap and also has larger flecks of a frosty-looking substance upon its elongated egg-shaped creamy ochre cap. Firerug Inkcap is also of a lighter colour than Glistening Inkcap, and doesn't grow in large colonies, but singly or in small groups, sometimes arising from burnt ground on buried wood.

Glistening Inkcap has an egg-shaped brown cap, initially covered in frost-like white flecks that look superficially like mica flakes but they soon fall off. The body or cap is indistinctly striated below the apex and at first is ovate, but the edges start to curl upwards and the body split as it turns black. The stem or stipe is off-white, narrow and slightly yellowish. It grows in clusters preferentially on dead deciduous wood, but can also grow on dead coniferous wood. The gills, white at first, like most inkcaps, deliquesce within a day turning into an oozy black liquid which contains the black spores.

A STEROID
Micaceol, a steroid named after this species of mushrooms, exhibits slight anti-bacterial activity. It is a yellow amorphous solid.

(Z,Z)-4-Oxo-2,5-HeptadieneDioic Acid is an unusual un-saturated di-carboxylic acid, and exhibits Glutathionine S-Transferase inhibition (a GST inhibitor).

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