Facial cystidia: absent.
Habitat & Distribution: Grows in clusters on rich ground, in gardens, on sides of newly prepared roads and central reservations of motor-ways, on path-sides, in cultivated fields and on rubbish dumps; it grows from spring to autumn and sometimes occurs in huge troops.
General Information: Easily recognised by its size, the shape of the cap with its scaly surface and from its resemblance to a ‘judge’s wig’; it is frequently called the ‘lawyer’s wig’ and whereas some common names are not very descriptive and one has to use a lot of imagination to conjure up what the common name implies, in this case it is not so. It is also known as the ‘shaggy cap’ or ‘shaggy ink-cap’. Ink or inky cap is, however, a common name for many species of the genus Coprinus (see [p. 211-4]).
The unrelated Lyophyllum decastes (Fries) Singer and L. connatum (Fries) Singer are also common fungi growing on roadsides, on soil and compost-heaps. They too break through embankments, soil, paths, etc., producing large craters and mounds of debris.
Illustrations: Coprinus comatus—F 34b; Hvass 172; LH 137; NB 355; WD 822. Lyophyllum decastes—LH 81; WD 142.
Lacrymaria velutina (Fries) Konrad & Maublanc Weeping widow
Cap: width 45-90 mm. Stem: width 8-14 mm; length 50-125 mm.
Description: [Plate 41].
Cap: convex then expanded with obtuse central umbo, dull clay-brown or date-brown and at first covered with flattened, woolly fibrils which are gradually lost with age; the margin is incurved and fringed with remnants of the veil.
Stem: fragile, pale dingy-coloured or clay-coloured at apex, dull brown below the ring-zone which consists of white fibrils; later in development these fibrils catch the spores and the stem becomes black and fibrillose-scaly, particularly below the ring-zone.