Firerug Inkcap - Coprinellus domesticus

The young caps are pale yellow-brown to orange-brown, covered with cream-ochre floccules. They caps are rounded/egg-shaped to begin with, expanding with age, radially grooved and gradually deliquescing from the margin inwards., The gills are free, crowded, whitish or lilac grey at first, then blackish, finally deliquescing.  The stem is tapered upwards, smooth and white, and often emerges from a mat of rust-coloured mycelial fibres called an 'ozonium'. 

Two other Coprinellus have a rusty ozonium - C xanthothrix and C radians.  They have rarely been recorded in VC55. To separate the three species with confidence, microscopic examination is needed

Photograph from top down, in side view and from underneath to show gills and full length of stipe, and rust-coloured mycelial mat.  Note habitat and substrate.

Dead wood from deciduous trees.

Spring to summer.

Widespread and quite common (Kibby, Vol.3, 2021)

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.