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RE: The Amateur Mycologist #26 - Coprinellus micaceus/Coprinellus Sect. Micacei - The Mica Caps
Cool post! I have been trying to find out what this strange thing is, any ideas? I found it in the woods at Sherwood Pines, UK @suesa has pointed me in your direction for help :) 
Happy to try and help - it's quite pretty, but is there a color filter on the top picture? And is the bottom natural color?
You wouldn't happen to have more photos of this would you? I'd love to see a picture of it cut in half. Or, if you took the photo just a little while ago you could try to head back to where you found it and see what it looked like now.
The real question for me is, "Is this mushroom fully developed or on its way to full development and gill formation?" Based on these two photos alone, I would guess the former, but it could be the latter.
If there are no gills at all, and never will be, then it is probably a type of puffball, maybe a specific species in the genus Lycoperdon. First-nature is a great resource for English mushrooms and they have several potential contenders in the Lycoperdon genus. However, none that I saw perfectly match the almost fur-like quality of the spikes in that second picture. That doesn't mean that it isn't a lycoperdon puffball, only that I really can't be sure based on these two photos alone.
Additionally, if, on the other hand, it is an immature gilled mushroom, then the possibilities expand drastically.
The issue is that its hard to say with just these two photos. A photo of the cross section could be a big help and answer it pretty handily - or reveal some immature gill structures which would then raise even more questions.
But the questions are where the fun is!
yes, the top picture has a colour filter for artistic purposes only lol I didn't really know what I was looking at tbh! xD
the only photos I have are on my recent blog, https://steemit.com/photography/@beautifulbullies/uk-original-photography-what-the-heck-is-this-help but I have used colour filters. It was pale white. I don't think it had gills fro memory. If it is a puffball, would it be dangerous to cut it open? I have visions of toxic spores being released into my nostrils! lol
Generally cutting a puffball open is not dangerous. If the puffball is very fresh, as this one appears to be, the interior should be almost pure white, and the spore mass will not yet have matured. As a result, the spores will not disperse when you cut it open.
If the pore mass is mature, it could be anywhere from brown to greenish to purplish - and in that case cutting it open could cause some spores to disperse in plumes. You dont want to get up close and take a whiff of those pores, certainly, but cutting it in half outdoors shouldnt be a problem at all unless you have a particular sensitivity or previous lung problem.
As far as I know there are no acutely toxic spores when inhaled. The primary danger would be getting a large concentrated whiff of spores, which can be dangerous, but which really requires you to get up close and personal and squeeze a puff into your face.
This certainly sounds and looks like a puffball of some kind - the precise texture is the only major question mark, but could easily be consistent with a Lycoperdum species or local species variant.
Another thing to keep in mind it the power of local knowledge - this could be a specific local variant of Lycoperdon puffball or another genus. You could try emailing the photos to the sherwood pines forestry service, and they might know the species right off.
[email protected]
Alternatively the British Mycological society maintains a public facebook page, and they may allow you to post these photos when you join the group and see if anyone knows off hand what species this is.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/18843741618/
If you try either of those options or get more photos, let me know! I would love a clearer answer
Thank you so much! you have been very helpful indeed! I shall be emailing them today to see if they can shed some light before I head back there to cut it open lol I will let you know how I get on. Thank you again for your help! :D
Awesome! Looking forward to an update.