Fairy Inkcap

Fairy Inkcap - Coprinellus disseminatus

Alternative names
Fairies' Bonnets
Description

A small yellowish-grey inkcap that is usually in large crowded clusters on stumps, etc.  The caps are bell-shaped or hemispherical, plicate (pleated) and with fine hairs (use hand lens) and a fine granular surface which is formed by the spherical cell remnants of the veil. The gills are whitish, soon blackening.  The stem is whitish and pubescent.

Similar Species

Psathyrella pygmaea is very similar and according to Kibby (2021) is often found growing with Coprinellus disseminatus.  It does not have a granular cap surface or minute hairs on the caps, but may have fine white fibrils. 

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

Under the microscope, C disseminatus had pileocystidia, unlike P pygmaea 

Recording advice

Photograph the whole clump in its habitat, and a close-up of an individual fungus with details of cap, and underneath to show gills and stipe.

Habitat

on stumps and logs

When to see it

May-October

UK Status

Widespread and very common (Kibby, Vol.3, 2021)

VC55 Status

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records