Fungi
Caps on stems; gills below caps [mushrooms or mushroom-like]
Sighting 35312

Coprinus comatus

Shaggy Ink Cap at Kingston, ACT

Coprinus comatus at Kingston, ACT - 29 Apr 2015 12:25 PM
Coprinus comatus at Kingston, ACT - 29 Apr 2015 12:25 PM
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Identification history

Coprinus comatus 12 May 2015 Heino
Coprinus comatus 12 May 2015 JoshMulvaney

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User's notes

Jerrabomberra Wetlands

7 comments

AaronClausen wrote:
   12 May 2015
I hear these are actually edible. Weird... But I wouldn't touch them myself...!
JoshMulvaney wrote:
   12 May 2015
No, especially not when they are in their particularly 'inky' stage!
Heino wrote:
   12 May 2015
Coprinus comatus 'ink' does make a reasonable ink as one image on the botanic gardens website shows. You can get to it by using the following address: http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/images-misc/coprinus-ink-large.jpg
JoshMulvaney wrote:
   13 May 2015
Haha! Great image Heino. Do you have to treat/dilute the ink at all? Or can you just use it straight up?
AaronClausen wrote:
   13 May 2015
Oh wow I just checked that. Very clever!!!!!!!
Heino wrote:
   13 May 2015
Josh, I used the ink straight up. To get the ink, put an ink cap into a tub and leave it alone to dissolve. After a day you'll find the tub has black liquid plus solids. Carefully pour off the liquid and there's your ink. You can keep it in a fridge for ages, but it has a sort of musty/yeasty smell. There's liquid plus spores in the ink and the latter will settle out. You want them mixed in, so shake the jar a little if you see any sign of settling. You can also keep dry ink. Pour fresh ink into a shallow tray, so as to get a thin film of ink and let it dry out. You'll get a black crust. Scrape it off and save those dried flakes. They keep out of the fridge. I've had a couple of vials for some years. When I want ink I pour some flakes into a thimble-sized cup and add a tiny amount of water and stir - there's the ink. Be careful! Too much water and you get a very pale ink.
JoshMulvaney wrote:
   13 May 2015
Thanks for the tip Heino! What a useful species!

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  • True In flower

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