Coprinus micaceus

Note: recent genetic evidence indicates that this species should no longer be considered in the genus Coprinus. The current candidate name is Coprinellus micaceus.

Photographer

Nathan Wilson

Common Name

Mica Cap

Location

House lawn at the base of a weeping willow Los Angeles, California

Time

December 1994

Habitat

Disturbed soil often near grass

Comments

Small yellowish flecks on the caps are the remnants of the universal veil these fungi have when they are very young. The flecks often glisten in the sunlight like mica. This species is edible, though it tends to be small and fairly flavorless. Fortunately, it often occurs in large numbers, so it is worth trying.

Processing

Original image was taken on 35mm Fuji Velvia using a Nikon 55mm macro lens. The slide was then digitized with a Nikon Coolscan with 24bit color depth. The color depth was reduced to 8bits using Debabelizer.

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