Stats

Lifespan

A few days

Size

Small

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

The mica cap is a small brown mushroom that erupts in dense clusters at the base of dead trees and stumps. Its pleated cap is dusted with glittering mica-like granules that sparkle when fresh — but dissolve away in rain, and the entire cap eventually liquefies into black ink as it releases its spores.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Basidiomycota

Class

Agaricomycetes

Order

Agaricales

Family

Psathyrellaceae

Genus

Coprinellus

Species

Coprinellus micaceus