Fungus · GBIF taxon 7987658
Shaggy Mane
Coprinus comatusAlso known as Shaggy Ink Cap, Lawyer's Wig
Shaggy manes emerge from rich soil and turf as tall, white cylindrical caps covered in shaggy, peeling scales that resemble a traditional wig. As the mushroom matures, its white gills turn pink and rapidly dissolve into a thick black liquid through self-digestion. This autodigestion process aids in spore dispersal as fluid drips onto surrounding ground or clings to passing insects.
DeliquescentSaprobicFungus
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Decaying Organic Matter
- Soil Nematodes
Predators
- Slugs
- Fungus Gnats
- Rodents
ThreatsLawn chemicals, heavy soil compaction
HabitatsLawns, meadows, roadsides, disturbed ground
Life span1–3 days (fruiting body)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAgaricales
- FamilyAgaricaceae
- GenusCoprinus
- SpeciesCoprinus comatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Observation Timing: Search early in the morning before self-digestion liquefies the caps into black fluid.
- Habitat Spotting: Look for tall white columns popping up after rainfall on suburban lawns and woodchip beds.
- Spore Examination: Collect mature caps early to see the dark black spore deposits before deliquescence sets in.
Look-Alike James Lindsey / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Related Ink Cap (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · cc-by
Look-Alike George Chernilevsky / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
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