Common Ink Cap
ExploreFungi
Common Ink Cap
Coprinopsis
The Common Ink Cap is a small mushroom that can turn into black ink! It's fun to watch as it grows.
Habitat: In gardens and grassy areas
Appearance
The Common Ink Cap has an ovoid to bell-shaped cap, often greyish-brown with fine scales. Its gills are initially white, turning grey then black, liquifying into a black, inky fluid as it matures, making it visually unique.
KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderAgaricalesFamilyPsathyrellaceaeGenusCoprinopsis
Category
FungiRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Before plastic, people sometimes used the inky fluid from these mushrooms to write letters!
If you eat this mushroom with even a tiny bit of alcohol, it can make you feel very sick!
They often grow in huge groups, sometimes hundreds of them popping up together overnight.
This mushroom's cap turns into a gooey black liquid, just like ink, which inspired its name!
Special abilities
Ability
Ink Maker
Common Ink Cap can digest itself into a black, inky fluid because its gills break down to release spores, making natural ink.
Ability
Alcohol Alert
Common Ink Cap has a special compound that causes a strong reaction when eaten with alcohol, protecting it from some curious foragers.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 5-15 cm
- Edibility
- poisonous
- Cap Diameter
- 3-8 cm
- Growth Substrate
- soil
- Season
- Spring to late autumn
- Spore Color
- Black
Ecological connections
depends on
English Oak
Quercus robur
Decomposes dead oak roots or wood in the soil.
depends on
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Helps decay dead maple wood and roots beneath the surface.
depends on
Perennial Ryegrass
Lolium perenne
Feeds on dead grass roots and thatch in lawns and fields.
Traits
Cluster Flower
Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
Shade Tolerant
Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
Spore Producing
Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
Inky CapInky Mushroom
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Common Ink Cap?
5-15 cm
Is Common Ink Cap edible?
poisonous
How big is Common Ink Cap?
3-8 cm
Where is Common Ink Cap usually found?
In gardens and grassy areas
What does Common Ink Cap grow on?
soil
When is Common Ink Cap in season?
Spring to late autumn
What color are Common Ink Cap spores?
Black
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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