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The SroTTED Coprixus (Edibee) 

 Copriiius cbiilbosiis Peck 



This handsome plant occurs in the woods on and around decaying 

 stumps and logs from May to October. It grows in large clusters and 

 its numerous spotted caps give it a very striking appearance when 

 one comes upon it suddenly on stepping over a rotten log or passing 

 around a decaying stump. It is a common mushroom and often is 

 very abundant. 



The cap is 2 to 7 cm. (i to 3 inches) broad, at first ovate, then 

 bell-shaped, and sometimes expanded, but it usually dissolves into an 

 inky fluid. It is fleshy but rather thin and fragile. In very young 

 specimens the surface is uniformly brownish or straw-color, but the 

 outer layer very soon breaks up into large, irregular scales or patches, 

 exposing the smooth white surface of the cap and giving it the spotted 

 appearance. 



The gills are broad, crowded close together, and free from the 

 stem. They are at first white or bluish white, then brown, and finally 

 black, soon dissolving into an inky fluid. The spores are black. 



The stem is 7 to 12 cm. (3 to 5 inches) long, nearly cylindrical, 

 or tapering slightly upward. It is hollow and brittle, smooth, or 

 nearly so, and white on the surface, and usually has white branching 

 strands of mycelium extending from the base. The ring is slight like 

 that of Coprinus afraiucufarius, to which this species is closely related. 

 There is no volva. 



Coprinus ebulbosiis is perhaps not quite so good as C. atramentarius 

 but it is very good and well worth collecting. All coprini will be 

 found very good if prepared in the same way as fried oysters. 



Collected in Champaign county. 



