Coprinus comatus

Shaggy Ink Cap at Kingston, ACT

Request use of media

Identification history

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

Identify this sighting

Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

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!

Please Login or Register to comment.