Phil Bendle Collection:Parasola plicatilis (Japanese Umbrella Inkcap)

Kingdom:Fungi
Subkingdom:Dikarya
Phylum:Basidiomycota
Subphylum:Agaricomycotina
Class:Agaricomycetes
Order:Agaricales
Family:Psathyrellaceae
Genus:Parasola
Species: Parasola plicatilis
Common name: Japanese-umbrella inkcap, Pleated Inkcap, Little Japanese Umbrella 

Parasola plicatilis is a delicate species of fungi that last less then a day.  It can be found singly or in small groups after rain in mown lawns. The cap can be 5 -20mm across. (The one in the photos below was only 5mm across). The cap is translucent and radially grooved, hence named an umbrella inkcap. The centre is yellow brown. The gills are free and at first white, then gray and turning black.
It has a stem of 20 - 60 mm in length. It can be found early in the morning when the grass is wet and because of its delicate structure it can grow and fade within hours.

A  Parasola plicatilis fungi just staring to grow.

The photos below were taken at 3pm and because the gills have turned black ,
it is in its last stages of life.

 

 

 

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