Coprinellus flocculosus
🏷️ Description
Coprinellus flocculosus is a species of agaric fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. Initially described as Agaricus flocculosus by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1815, it was reclassified as Coprinellus flocculosus in 2001.
This species resembles Coprinellus micaceus, a common mushroom that grows in clusters on decaying trees or stumps. However, C. flocculosus differs by appearing scattered on substrates like sawdust, woodchips, or straw. It also has a felt-like veil, unlike the glistening veil of C. micaceus. Remnants of the veil may form a thin collar at the stipe's base.
Another similar species is Coprinellus domesticus, which has a tawny-brown cap center, a granular veil, and typically grows on hardwood logs and stumps. Microscopically, it differs by having thick-walled velar cells, smaller spores, and a central germ pore, unlike the thin-walled cells and eccentric germ pore of C. flocculosus.
🚫 Inedible: While not toxic, this mushroom is not considered suitable for consumption due to its fragile and deliquescent nature.
🔎 Identification
🍄 Cap:
Young: Cylindrical to ovoid, 0.59 to 1.77 inches (1.5 to 4.5 cm) wide, up to 1.18 inches (3 cm) tall.
Mature: Broadly conic to nearly flat with a wavy, often torn edge.
Surface: Pale ochre to mustard-brown at the center, paler towards the margin. Radially furrowed, folded, and covered with felt-like whitish or buff veil fragments concentrated at the disc.
Flesh: Thin, brittle, and whitish. The cap eventually deliquesces (melts into black ink).
Odor & Taste: Not distinctive.
🌿 Gills:
Free and crowded, broad (up to 6 mm), with creamy edges when young, turning gray-brown, then black with age as spores mature.
Microscopic view: Edges and faces are minutely hairy.
📏 Stem:
Height: 2.0–10.0 cm; Thickness: 0.2–0.7 cm.
Shape: Cylindrical, hollow, slightly thickened at the base.
Surface: Whitish, pruinose (powdery), becoming smooth with age. Often has a thin, collar-like white volva at the base.
🦠 Spores:
Shape: Elliptical to almond-shaped, 9.8–16.7 × 6.4–9.8 µm.
Color: Black in spore deposit, dark red-brown microscopically.
Germ Pore: Eccentric, up to 2 µm wide.
🌳 Habitat & Growth:
Found solitary, scattered, or in small groups on wood chips, sawdust, and straw (but not on dung).
Common after rain, fruiting year-round in moist conditions.
👀 Look-Alikes
Coprinellus flocculosus resembles Coprinellus micaceus but differs in its scattered growth and felt-like veil fragments rather than shiny particles.
Another look-alike, Coprinellus domesticus, has a tawny-brown cap center, granular veil, and prefers hardwood logs.
📜 Synonyms
Agaricus flocculosus de Candolle (1815)
Coprinus flocculosus (de Candolle) Fries (1838)
Coprinus floccosofarinaceus Britzelmayr (1895)
Coprinus rostrupianus ss. J.E. Lange (1939)
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Northcut (CC BY 4.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Andrew Conboy (CC BY 4.0)
Photo 3 - Author: Megan Dark (CC BY 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: reagan peschke (CC BY 4.0)
