Coprinopsis pulchricaerulea
๐ท๏ธ Description
๐งโโ๏ธ A Rare Beauty: Coprinopsis pulchricaerulea is a captivating, small blue mushroom that stands out with its vibrant colors and delicate features. Discovered by nature photographer Stephen Axford in 2012, this species was officially described in 2022. Its name reflects its elegance: pulchricaerulea means "beautiful blue" in Latin.
๐จ Fun Fact: The genus name Coprinopsis means "resembling dung," a nod to its historical association with habitats rich in organic decay. However, this mushroom redefines beauty in its family with its brilliant blue shades!
๐งฌ Unique Traits
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Unlike most Coprinopsis, this mushroom boasts a pale spore print and a sequestrate-like fruiting body resembling truffles.
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Closely related to Coprinopsis aesontiensis, a gray cousin found in northeastern Italy, but distinct in its dazzling blue hue.
๐ Identification
๐ Cap:
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Size: 8โ28 mm wide, 6โ22 mm tall.
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Shape: Spherical when young, becoming ovate or convex with age.
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Color: Starts as a stunning pale to bright blue, fading to gray or greenish as it ages or dries.
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Texture: Fragile and adorned with glistening, white, powdery warts, which may wash off over time.
๐ Gills:
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Begin white or creamy, maturing to a light tan.
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Crowded and delicate.
๐ฑ Stem:
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Size: 5โ20 mm long, 3โ7 mm thick.
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Slightly bulbous at the base, tapering toward the cap.
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Features a subtle ring near the base.
๐ฌ Spores:
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Ellipsoid to elongated, measuring 19โ23 ร 10โ12.5 ฮผm.
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Pale, contrasting the typical dark spores of its relatives.
๐ Smell: Strong mushroom-like aroma.
๐ Ecology & Habitat: This saprophytic species thrives in decaying wood and leaf litter, often appearing in small groups or solitary in wet rainforest conditions. Its lifecycle, like other Coprinopsis species, is fleetingโmaturing quickly and sometimes deliquescing into a liquid state. Subtropical rainforests of northern New South Wales, New Caledonia, and Lord Howe Island.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Steve Axford (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Steve Axford (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 3 - Author: Steve Axford (CC BY-SA 3.0)
