Shaggy Mane

Shaggy Mane, Coprinus comatus, is one of my favorite species. This is an 'inky cap' as the gills deliquesce (melt) into a black, spore enriched liquid in a matter of a few hours. So, if you wish to consume them, you need to do so within a few hours of harvesting.  I prefer to cook them stir fried, initially with olive oil and shallots (onions), and then adding butter once much of the water has cooked off. Beware of a similar, gray color Coprinus - Coprinus atramentarius (= Coprinus atrementaria) which can cause vomiting if you drink alcohol close to the time of mushroom consumption. 

And- here is a great 'mushroom hack': If you submerge fresh shaggy manes into cold water, as pictured here, the mushrooms will stop deliquescing. Here is a photo 5 days later ! And they are still fresh. 

The last slide shows how one day, Shaggy Manes melt into a black, spore enriched liquid. Truly an Inky Cap

Shaggy Manes are one of the easiest mushrooms to identify. So powerful they are, that they are known to break up asphalt as they emerge. See Figure  246, page 221 of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World. 

Cheers

Paul