"Lawyer's wig" redirects here. [3] Other common names include lawyer's wig,[3] and shaggy mane. The shaggy ink cap is easily recognizable from its almost cylindrical cap which initially covers most of its stem. Microscopically it lacks pleurocystidia. The species is cultivated in China as food. Image Source. Send us an email. Shaggy Mane’s pop out of the ground like little white bullets. The flaky parts of the cap can be brownish, with the base of the cap turning black as the mushroom ages. Learn how to forage these popular and distinctive mushrooms. It appears to have been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and Iceland. 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 cap is mostly white with shaggy scales, which are more pale brown at the apex. Shaggy mane mushrooms (Coprinus comatus) are an edible mushroom common in North America. As such, to identify a prime shaggy mane mushroom, look for these characteristics: Overall white in appearance. The dissolving process starts at the margin of the cap, so look there first. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. Make sure not to collect shaggy manes from potentially contaminated areas, like road sides or parking lots. Shaggy Mane mushrooms are part of … Large quantities of microwaved-then-frozen shaggy manes can be used as the liquid component of risotto, replacing the usual chicken stock. [4] Coprinus comatus is the best known of the true Coprinus. This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores. Shaggy mane mushrooms are relatively easy to identify. Coprinopsis lagopus - AKA wooly inkcap. In Australia the species is sufficiently common to have been featured on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post in 1981. Also known as Lawyer’s Wig mushrooms, they have tall and rounded caps and are covered with lacy scales that curve up from the sides. The shape of a young shaggy mane could be described technically as a "prolate spheroid". Shaggy mans are an excellent mushroom for practicing your foraging skills. The mushroom can sometimes be confused with the magpie fungus which is poisonous. An Overview of Mushroom Poisonings in North America. Shaggy manes grow from compacted and disturbed ground. Shaggy manes are one of the safer mushrooms to identify and eat. The spore print is black-brown and the spores measure 10–13 by 6.5–8 µm. Long, smooth, and hollow stem, sometimes with a detached ring. Some think that shaggy manes result in negative reactions when paired with alcohol. For the head covering, see, Collins, How to Identify Edible Mushrooms by Harding, Lyon & Tomblin, Time-lapse photography of inky cap growing and liquefying. Shaggy manes are excellent marinated or in soups. However, you can prolong the shelf life of shaggy manes by a day or two if you submerge them in water. However, all of these characteristics together are a good sign that you have a shaggy mane. Shaggy Mane Mushrooms Shaggy manes, also known as lawyer's wig or shaggy ink-cap, appear on lawns across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. A black ring around the cap's edge is a sign of a past-prime mushroom. It is deliquescent. Despite their general appearance and both turning to ink, shaggy manes and the common ink cap are only distantly related. As they grow, the cap and the stem elongate. Learn how to forage these popular and distinctive mushrooms. The shaggy ink cap was first described by Danish naturalist Otto Friedrich Müller in 1780 as Agaricus comatus, before being given its current binomial name in 1797 by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. Shaggy manes, also known as lawyer's wig or shaggy ink-cap, appear on lawns across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Coprinus comatus is not to be confused with the common Ink Cap, which contains coprine and can induce coprine poisoning. This genus was formerly considered to be a large one with well over 100 species. Processing or icing must be done whether for eating or storage within four to six hours of harvest to prevent undesirable changes to the mushroom. The caps are white, and covered with scales—this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. They will already contain a lot of water (as you will see when cooking) and will soak up more. Smooth surface, not shaggy or scaly. Symptoms of coprine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, palpitations and a metallic taste in the mouth.[10]. The free gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. Young shaggy manes should be clean, but they can be cleaned by scraping with a knife. Coprinus comatus is the type species for the genus Coprinus. Shaggy manes are also called "Shaggy Ink Cap" and "Lawyer's Wig". Above: The common ink cap, a shaggy mane lookalike. Light brown near the top. We'd love to have your input! Its specific name derives from coma, or "hair", hence comatus, "hairy" or "shaggy".