Japanese Umbrella Inky

Description:

Long, graceful grayish stalk with thin ridged cap that opens in the very early morning hours to resemble a beautiful Japanese parasol. Often blooms in the very late hours of the night and doesn't last much past daybreak.

Habitat:

These grow profusely on damp mornings in the wood mulch of my yard in an older suburban neighborhood with mature trees.

Notes:

Here is a link to a listing for these mushrooms on the Audubon site: http://www.audubonguides.com/species/Mus... Please note that the Audubon site uses what I think is the more current scientific name Parasolus plicatilis. However, there seems to be an expert difference of opinion about the scientific classification, and I have also seen them described as Coprinus plicatilis. Whatever they're called, the squirrels in my yard like to eat the caps of these mushrooms, so often all I see when I go outside in the morning is a lot of drooping capless stalks.