Shaggy ink cap

Description:

White cap covered with scales. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores. An excellent edible mushroom when collected very young (see pic. 2).

Habitat:

Very common in Central Europe and most parts of the northern hemisphere. Can be found from April - November on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. It is also very common in urban areas on fertilized lawns and park areas.

Notes:

Interestingly this mushroom is carnivorous, it traps and digests nematodes (nematophagous). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematophago...