#40 Chlorophyllum hortense

A wide variety of 'white toadstools' pop up in lawns, paddocks and roadside verges, and they can be difficult to confidently identify. I am reasonably sure I have this one correctly identified, but if any reader disagrees, please let me know.

Chlorophyllum hortense is from the family Agaricaceae. It is a big, fleshy fungus and occurs commonly in man-made habitats - in compost-enriched garden soil and lawns, and grazing pastures. It has a wide tropical and sub-tropical distribution, and in Australia is found in the eastern states, except for cold regions. It is also found in North and South America, Africa, Japan, India and parts of Asia.

Chlorophyllum hortense

Cap is 5 to 10cms wide, white to cream, tightly convex at first, widening to broadly convex. It has a distinct yellowish to brownish umbo (central bump on top of cap), and is strongly striated (grooved) on margins. Yellowish to brownish dry scales are present on the cap.

The stem is 3 to 7cm tall, perhaps even to 10cms, and has a movable annulus (fleshy ring). It is hollow, with a swollen base. Flesh is white and thin, and rapidly reddens when cut or bruised - this is an identifying feature of Chlorophyllum hortense. It has a mushroomy smell, white gills, and white spores.

The fungi pictured here were fruiting in my lawn a few summers ago. They formed a 'fairy ring' (diameter 3mts) of 52 fungi. Six weeks later, 64 Chlorophyllum hortense appeared in the same area in my lawn, all having moved a further 30cm out, forming a larger fairy ring. I have since moved from my rural home into town, so have not had the opportunity to make further detailed observations.

New fruiting bodies of Chlorophyllum hortense,
with one cut to display red bruising when flesh is cut.
Also, notice the hollow stem.

Series of 3 images of a group of Chlorophyllum hortense:

27 January 2005 - notice the prominent scales

24 hours later - the caps broaden. Notice the striations around the rim of the cap. Notice also, the droplet of water on the left-hand fungus has colour leeched from the cap colour.

30 hrs later, the fungi fruit bodies are dry and collapsing

A splitting cap of Chlorophyllum hortense -
Notice the dry movable ring on stem.

Distinct umbo on cap

There is some confusion regarding the nomenclature of Chlorophyllum hortense. In Australia it has gone under the name of Leucoagaricus fimetarius at some time. In North America and Hawaii it is known as Leucoagaricus hortensis or Lepiota humei. In Africa it is known as Leucoagaricus bisporus. And in Japan it is called Macrolepiota alborubescens.

Toxicity: There are differing opinions on the toxicity of Chlorophyllum hortense, so consuming it should definitely be avoided. In Brazil, at least two young children have died after consuming Chlorophyllum hortense, and several people have become ill. But studies have shown that levels of toxicity are affected by environmental conditions, thus the opposing opinions.

My sightings of Chlorophyllum hortense:

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Singleton, NSW - rural, lawn, Jan 05, Feb 05

#31 Coprinus comatus

Coprinus comatus (commonly known as Lawyer's Wig), is from Family Coprinaceae. It is a common fungus found in bare soil, grass and mulch, either singularly or in groups.

A tall cylindrical whitish cap, covered in brown-tipped white scales, sits atop a white, erect, hollow stem up to 150mm high. The cap often widens to bell-shaped with maturity. There is a white, moveable ring low on the stem.

Gills start out cream, turning pale brown, then very quickly blackening, and liquifying to a black slimy patch on the substrate.

A fresh specimen of Coprinus comatus

A close-up showing the shaggy cap and the size


A young buff-coloured specimen with cream gills


The moveable ring


Brown gills turning black from the edge of the cap
(Notice the stem narrows towards the top)


Stage one of liquification - turning up at rim of
cap (notice the small fly that would spread spores)



. . . . . next, the stem may collapse as the cap continues
to liquify . . . . .


. . . . . and liquifies to a black slimy blob . . . . .

. . . . . until all that remains is dismembered stems and a black mess on the substrate (Note: the liquification decomposition is a swift process of only a couple of hours)

My sightings of Coprinus comatus
[This will be updated with more sightings]

Australian Wetlands (Shortland) - Jun 2009

Note: This fungus is reportedly edible before it begins to liquify, but as I am not at all adventurous in cooking and/or eating wild collected fungi, I am unable to testify to its palatability. If readers who have eaten Coprinus comatus would like to leave a comment regarding this, I would be most appreciative.

Here is another of my life-cycle study entries

of a Coprinus species:

Coprinus cinereus

#24 Coprinellus disseminatus

Coprinellus disseminatus, or Coprinus disseminatus, is from family Coprinaceae. Typically, fungi from this group have black gills that quickly dissolve or self-digest into an inky black gooey substance (the official mycology term is "deliquesce"), but Coprinus disseminatus does not collapse and auto-digest. This is a useful feature for identification purposes.

I am not aware of any common name for this Coprinus species in Australia, but some common American names are Little Helmet, Fairy Bonnet, Non-inky Coprinus and Crumble Cap.

Tiny white or cream caps are oval when young, expanding up to 12 or 15mm wide to convex (domed) or bell-shape as they grow. With age, caps turn pale grey or beige with a brown or cream centre. Caps are finely grooved from the margin to near the centre and are very fragile, crumbling when handled.

My thumb gives a size comparison to young caps

Stipes (stems) are white, hollow, smooth, and fragile, growing to about 35mm high and only 1 or 2mm in diameter. Gills start out white, aging to light brown then dark brown or blackish-brown. Unlike other Coprinus species that auto-digest, it should be possible to obtain a spore print from Coprinellus disseminatus. Spores are black or blackish-brown.

Coprinus disseminatus are fragile, crumbling when handled

Coprinellus disseminatus grow on decaying wood and often appear on wooden garden edges or stepping blocks. They also sprout from underground decaying roots. I have also seen them growing amongst wood-chip mulch. They will appear in large troops, primarily in autumn and spring.

Coprinellus disseminatus are not restricted to Australia, but I am unsure of their distribution in Australia.

A fresh specimen with hollow stalk

Although not Australian, here is a Coprinus key that could be a useful aid in identifying Coprinus species found in the field. And here is an earlier blog entry detailing another Coprinus species, Coprinus cinereus.

Aging specimens dry out and wither, but do not collapse by auto-digestion like most other Coprinus species

My sightings of Coprinellus disseminatus

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens - Heatherbrae - on dead wood and wood-chips - May, Sep.

A troop of Coprinellus disseminatus showing colour variation

#14 Omphalotus nidiformis

Omphalotus nidiformis, Ghost Fungus, belongs to the family Marasmiaceae. Pronunciation Omfa-lotus nidee-form-iss. This is Australia's most well-known luminous (glow-in-the-dark) fungus, but not only does it make a spectacle at night, it also makes a lovely show by day.

A newly emerged Omphalotus nidiformis fruiting body

Developing quickly to form a 'funnel' in the cap


Losing orange colouration in cap and gills as it matures

These funnel-shaped fungi flatten out with age and can reach a diameter of 200mm. They are found on living and dead wood, both native and exotic, and can often be found in gardens and parks. If sprouting from the ground, there will be wood below the ground surface. The colour of the cap can vary from white or cream with blue and black centre and yellow tinges, to tones of purple and pink.

Gills are deeply decurrent (extending down the stem), are cream to white, and various lengths. Spore print is white. The stem can be central, off-centre or even lateral (attached at side), dry and up to 80mm in height or very stout.

Ghost Fungi can grow singly or in extensive overlapping clusters. Luminescence is due to a chemical reaction between fungal enzymes and oxygen. The soft lime-green glow is an amazing sight in natural surroundings at night.

Distribution has been recorded as south-east Queensland, eastern NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, south-eastern SA, and south-western WA.

Omphalotus nidiformis (Ghost Fungus) is highly poisonous.

Illustrating the wide variation in colour of caps

My sightings of Omphalotus nidiformis

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Barrington Tops National Park, Hunter Valley, NSW - Rainforest: Feb, Apr.

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae, NSW - on dead timber and on lawn: Apr, May, jul.

Hanging Rock, NSW - on dead pine stumps: Mar, Apr, May.

Brunkerville, NSW - on dead stumps May 2011, Jun 2011

Omphalotus nidiformis on dead banksia