On the type of Coprinus episcopalis
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Original description
Coprinus episcopalis P.D. Orton in Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 40: 270. 1957 (Notes on British agarics 1--5. Observations on the genus Coprinus) Holotype: England: Surrey, Mickleham Downs, among leaves of Fagus on chalky soil, 20 Nov. 1953, P.D. Orton (E).

Pileus 10-30 mm. altus, 10-18 mm. latus dein ad 55 mm. expansus, e cylindrico vel ± conico campanulatus explanatusque, primo ubique albofloccosus dein squamis superficialibus latis albis rufescentes vel fuscescentes variegatus, margine cinereo striato sulcatoque disco albido vel alutaceo denique laeve. Lamellae ex albo cinerascentis nigrisque, liberae, confertae, linearis haud ventricosis, acie primo alba. Stipes primo 30-40 mm. longus, 5-9 mm. crassus (ad basim 8-15 mm.), dein 60-95 mm. longus, albus, ± sericeo-striatus, fistulosus, semper bulbosus saepe marginato-bulbosus. Caro pilei tenuis concolore, stipitis alba. Odor nullus dein paulum stercorarius. Sporae mitriformae, 7.5-10 x 6.5-8 x 5.5-6.5 µm poro truncato. Cheilocystidiae clavatac vel vesiculosae vel paulum irregulares, 30-40(-60) x 16-30 µm. Pleurocystidiae magnae, vesiculosae ad apicem saepe angustiores, 90-180 x 20-60 µm. Squamis pilei ex hyphis ramosis angustis ad apicem pilei tunicis crassis fuscescentibus (3-)4-8(-9) diam. composita. In fagetis solo calcarco solitarius. C. picaceo proximus sed minor et sporis insignis.
Mickleham Downs, Surrey, 20 November 1953 (typus, Herb. Kew.)

Cap 10-30 mm. high, 10-18 mm. in diam. when young, up to 55 mm. in diam. when expanded, cylindrical or ± conical at first, then campanulate, umbonate or not, finally expanded with margin split and revolute (Fig. 5), at first entirely covered by the white veil, then grey and striate or sulcate to smooth pale or pallid disk, veil breaking up into adpressed separable whitish patches, those on disk often tinged pinkish or yellowish brown. Gills white then mottled grey and black, finally black, free, crowded, linear or ± lanceolate, edge very white floccose at first. Stem 95 mm., white, base always bulbous often marginately so, ± white silky striate, hollow and fragile when elongated. Flesh thin, concolorous in cap, 30-40 x 5-9 mm. (8-15 mm. in bulb) elongating as cap expands to 60-100 mm, white in stem. Smell none, then rather dung-like. Spores mitriform, lenticular, 7.5-10 x 6.5-8 x 5.5-6.5 µm, with truncate germ-pore (Fig. 6a). Marginal cystidia clavate to vesiculose or slightly irregular, 30-40(-60) x 16-30 µm (Fig. 6b). Facial cystidia large, vesiculose, often narrowed at apex, 80-180 x 20-60 µm (Fig. 6c,d). Veil on cap of hyaline branched clamped narrow hyphae (3-)4-8(-9) µm in diam. (Fig. 6e), those on disk often with thick brownish walls (Fig. 6f). Hyphae of cap cuticle ± cylindric up 20 µm in diam.

Among leaves of Fagus on chalky soil, usually solitary. Norbury Park, Surrey, 14 October 1953; Mickleham Downs, Surrey, 20 November 1953 (type collection), and subsequently.

Obs. Resembles C. picaceus (Bull. ex Fr.) S. F. Gray in having a bulbous stem, large flat separable scales on the cap and a disagreeable smell when mature, but is much smaller and has characteristic spores resembling those of C. angulatus Peck (= C. boudieri Quél.) and is probably the species referred to by Kühner & Romagnesi (1953, p. 391, note 11) as a species 'à rechercher'. Older specimens are often covered with flies presumably attracted by the smell. C. picaceus is about twice the size of C. episcopalis and has larger elliptical spores 14-17 x 10-12 µm.

Observations:
Observations: spores [50,5,1] (6.7--)7.9--10.7(--11.3) x 6.5--9.0(--11) x 5.5--6.7 µm, dark red-brown, rounded angular with germ pore drawing out, distinctly lentiform; Q= 1.00--1.20(--1.25), av. Q= 1.10(--1.20); av. L= 8.1--9.6, av. B= 7.6--8.5 µm. Germ pore central, c. 1.3 µm in diameter. Basidia 17--35 x 10--11 µm, 4-spored, surrounded by 4--7(--8) pseudoparaphyses. Pleurocystidia 50--140 x 15--40 µm. Cheilocystidia 40--140 x 23--35 µm. Veil 2--15 µm wide, thin-walled. Clamp-connections present.

Notes: in his description Orton gives spore size 7.5--10 x 6.5--8 x 5.5--6.5 µm, leaving out the extreme sizes we have found. He also notes pleurocystidia up to 180 x 60 µm, larger than in the observations on the type, and smaller cheilocystidia (up to 40(--60) x 30 µm).
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