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Shaggy Ink cap Mushroom
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The Shaggy Ink cap Mushroom is edible and tasty but you must use great caution when eating or harvesting them. They can be easily confused with a more dangerous and very toxic variety of ink cap mushroom. I do not recommend eating this mushroom, but if you do decide to try it, please use caution and get help from a pro to identify it.
The Shaggy Ink Cap mushroom has a white skin with very light brown coloring across its shaggy outer flesh. During the early growth of this mushroom, the cap appears compressed into an oval shape like a closed beach umbrella. As the oval grows and spreads out, the mushroom begins to form an umbrella shaped cap. It is during the early growth stages while still oval or egg-shaped that the gills beneath the cap of the young mushrooms are white and of a tender texture. As the mushroom ages, the gills darken and become blackened with an inky coloring that actually begins to drip from it as it deteriorates. Also known as the Shaggy Inky Cap, Shaggy Mane, Inky Top, and Lawyer's Wig mushroom, the Shaggy Ink Cap can be kept only a few hours before it begins to deteriorate.
It is important to use caution if this mushroom is to be eaten or if the persons selecting this mushroom are unsure of the variety of Ink Cap being considered.
The Shaggy Ink Cap has a cousin mushroom called the Alcohol Ink Cap mushroom, it is a mushroom that can be quite toxic if eaten with or after consuming alcohol.
Knowing the concerns about this dangerous variety of the Inky Cap mushroom and the fact that it looks almost like the safer Shaggy Ink Cap mushroom, make it questionable as to whether you should even eat the Shaggy Ink Cap mushroom.
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