inky cap

noun

1. any mushroom of the genus Coprinus, especially C. atramentarius, characterized by gills that disintegrate into blackish liquid after the spores mature.

Word History and Origins

Origin of inky cap¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Under attack, Coprinopsis cinerea, the mushroom commonly known as the “gray shag” or “inky cap” and often used in fungi research, puts up a slow, but steady fight.

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