Hello readers,

The weather has been rainy for the past few days here in Hanover, NH. Yesterday, as I was on my way to Zimmerman Gym to get my pump on, I noticed this assortment of mushrooms on the grassy area in front of the gym entrance. I immediately whipped out by field journal to begin sketching, forgetting all thoughts about leg day.

Mushrooms found in front of Zimmerman Gym

These mushrooms appear to me to be in different stages of growth based on their caps. It seems to be that the young mushrooms have cylindrical, conic caps, while the caps of those a little more mature appear to be opening up, appearing almost like someone has draped a blanked over it. It seems to me that the mushroom in the center is a fully mature one as its cap has completely opened up, appearing almost like an umbrella.

The color of these mushrooms are varying shades of brown, from being tan brown in darker areas to a sandy brown in lighter areas. There appear to be fine fibers running up and down the caps of these mushrooms and the underside has white gills. Furthermore, these mushrooms grown in clumps, as I noticed another clump of the same mushrooms nearby.

After doing some research online, I believe these are Coprinellus micaceus, known more commonly as Mica caps. Mica caps are one of the most common mushrooms in North America, typically growing on decaying wood. However, Mica caps can also be found in places where wood is rotting beneath the soil, explaining why it has popped up on the lawn. The cap of this species is conic to bell-shaped, up to 6cm wide and is commonly identified by the furrow-lines that run through their caps.

Mica Caps in the Wild

According to the mushroom experts, this mushroom is safe to eat though it does not have a distinctive smell or odor. That being said, I probably won’t be Sautéing these any time soon.

To close do you guys agree with my identification? Would you be willing to eat a wild mushroom?

Best,

Leo L.