They don't *look* magical...

March 26, 2008 8:22 AM

Calling all mycologists, mycophiles, and mychowhatsists! What are these mushrooms that are growing like crazy in my front yard?

A few years back, a large tree was cut down in our front yard. This was before we bought our home, so I couldn't tell you what sort of tree it was, but there are still decaying roots underground.

Several times now, whenever the morning weather is around about 65-70 degrees and humid, we get outbreaks of these mushrooms (pics following). They come up in clusters, are each about the size of a US half dollar, are brackish gray (sometimes with spots), and smell like something died.

I am assuming that they are not edible. Nothing that smells like these do would entice me to eat it.

But what *are* they?

Pic 1, Pic 2, and Pic 3

posted by kaseijin to home & garden (8 answers total)

Do they turn into a puddle of black inky mess when they die?
posted by cda at 9:26 AM on March 26, 2008

Yeah, sorta. They start to look like old tar or something. They all sorta gel together, get inky and nasty looking, with a crust on top.
posted by kaseijin at 9:30 AM on March 26, 2008

But yes: black.
posted by kaseijin at 9:40 AM on March 26, 2008

Read this note about identifying mushrooms by comparison to photos and why it is a very unreliable method of identification. Cap color and appearance are not sufficient to make a good identification of a mushroom.

These are the sorts of basic characteristics you would start with to find the basic group of mushroom you're dealing with.

They look like ordinary toadstools you'd get in any lawn to me, although ours tend to come up brown. You're probably spot on about the, um, root cause - they're consuming the rotting wood under your lawn. Although you don't ask, there's not much to be done about them (unless you wanted to dig up the roots and resod). I rake them up and compost the fruits; once the wood is consumed they'll go away.
posted by nanojath at 9:53 AM on March 26, 2008

Well it sounds like something in the stinkhorn family, from your description of the sliminess and stankiness. Doesn't look much like one imagines them, however.
posted by mumkin at 9:55 AM on March 26, 2008

Then that is a clue that they are mushrooms that "ink out." That narrows down what they could be. They also look like they have rough patches on the top just like shaggy manes. Since shaggy manes ink out and have those rough spots I would say they are in the shaggy mane family.

The next step is to make a spore print.

I went to my local mushroom club to learn from experts how to identify mushrooms. If you have time it's a lot of fun.

* I have to say don't eat any mushrooms unless they are identified by an expert.
posted by cda at 10:00 AM on March 26, 2008

They start to look like old tar or something. They all sorta gel together, get inky and nasty looking, with a crust on top.

Then they are some kind of inky cap. They don't look like shaggy manes (Coprinus comatus) which is the only inky cap I can readily identify by a picture, but they could be if they start out looking like this before they start digesting themselves.
posted by DanielDManiel at 10:05 AM on March 26, 2008

Yep, the inky caps are definitely them. Dunno if I'll go as far as to find out exactly which species they are, though I might. The University of Texas is pretty close, and I'm sure they have folks who could identify these 'shrooms more thoroughly. Thanks, mefites!
posted by kaseijin at 10:28 AM on March 26, 2008