Common ink cap Coprinopsis atramentaria
poisonous
Grey cap without the magpie pattern; also a Coprinopsis, poisonous with alcohol.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The magpie inkcap has a long, black-and-white patterned cap and liquefies as it matures. It is poisonous and must not be mistaken for the lawyers' wig.
SeasonMay to October
Spore printblack
FamilyPsathyrellaceae
- Cap. The cap is 5 to 12 cm tall, at first egg-shaped, with a black-and-white scaly pattern.
- Underside. The gills are whitish, then black and liquefying.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is whitish, hollow and often long.
- Smell and taste. The smell is unremarkable. Never taste it.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is thin.
Lookalikes
A striking black-and-white ink cap; contains coprine, so do not drink alcohol.
Coprinopsis variegata
poisonousBrown scaly, rarer; also poisonous.
Lawyers' wig Coprinus comatus
edible
White, brown-scaly cylinder; edible when young.
View on the mapSide by side
| Magpie inkcap | Common ink cap | Coprinopsis variegata | Lawyers' wig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | black-and-white patterned, 5 to 12 cm | grey | brown scaly | white, brown scaly |
| Underside | liquefying gills | liquefying | liquefying | white gills |
| Stem | long, hollow | hollow | slender | slender |
| Flesh | thin | thin, deliquescing | thin | firm when young, cylindrical |
| Edibility | Poisonous | poisonous | poisonous | edible |
Habitat & Season
Humus-rich forest soils. Lowlands to mountain forest.
Host trees
On deciduous tree stumps, especially beech.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Summer and autumn on stumps.
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Poisonous mushroom: do not eat it. If you suspect someone has eaten it, call the emergency number and the poison centre immediately.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Conservation and collecting rules
Not specially protected.
Salzburg: Collecting poisonous mushrooms is banned, except single specimens for identification.
Poisoning
ToxinCoprine.
SyndromeCoprine syndrome and gastrointestinal syndrome.
SymptomsIntolerance with alcohol; without alcohol nausea and diarrhoea.
OnsetAlcohol effect up to 5 days; gastrointestinal a few hours.
What to do now: This is an emergency, even if there are no symptoms yet. Go to a hospital immediately or call 999 / 112 and the poison centre (NHS 111, England). Do not wait to see whether symptoms appear, and do not be misled by an apparent improvement. Do not induce vomiting. Keep leftover mushrooms, cleaning scraps and vomit, and tell everyone who shared the meal.
Frequently asked questions
Is the magpie inkcap edible?
No, it is poisonous and contains coprine.
What is it mistaken for?
For the edible lawyers' wig, which is white and cylindrical.
What about alcohol after eating it?
Do not drink alcohol for several days if ink caps containing coprine have been eaten.
Related species
- Sulphur tuft Hypholoma fasciculare
- Fly agaric Amanita muscaria
- Devil's bolete Rubroboletus satanas
- Yellow-stainer Agaricus xanthodermus
- The sickener Russula emetica
- Spotted tricholoma Tricholoma pardinum
Sources
Photo credits
- Photo: Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Common ink cap: Photo: James Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Lawyers' wig: Photo: Wildfeuer · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.