Common Ink Cap
Picture © 2002, FBCP

Common Ink Cap - Coprinus atramentarius
Also known as - Tipplers Bane.

Medium sized fungi growing generally in small groups on waste ground, gardens, near tree stumps or buried wood of decaying broadleaved trees. Caps 2 - 8cm (0.75 - 3in) across, stem 7 - 14cm (2.75 - 5.5in) tall, 1 - 1.5cm (0.5 - 0.75in) dia. Dirty grey-brown to honey brown, blackening with age, conical to bell shaped. Decomposes to black inky mess shedding spores in the process. No distinctive smell or taste except in the later stages of decomposition when it becomes quite foul. Common, appearing early summer to autumn. This common mushroom reacts chemically with alcohol to produce nausea, the drug Antabuse is derived from it.

Back