Fairy Bonnet

Description:

Also thought to resemble little helmets (this is in fact another common name for it), Coprinellus disseminatus (or Coprinus disseminatus or Pseudocoprinus disseminatus) is distinguished by its tendency to grow in vast numbers -- by the hundreds! -- and by a characteristic that is not found in other members of the genus. In other coprinus species, the gills do not deliquesce, meaning that they do not turn into a black mess after being picked, and hence, a near-black to black spore print is obtainable. Such behavior earned it the synonym of Pseudocoprinus disseminatus.

Habitat:

Found in two locations: one on the leg of a wooden table (the wood was probably collected from the same area, i.e. native), and one near the base of a tree. There were no conifers in this hardwood forest.