On the type of Coprinus xerophilus
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Original description
Coprinus xerophilus Van De Bogart in Mycotaxon 4: 255. 1976 (The genus Coprinus in Western North America, part 1: sect. Coprinus). Holotype: North America: state Utah, Nephi, Juab, 15 June 1957, F. Van De Bogart 2159 (WTU).

Pileus short glandiform to subglobose, then rounded conic, then broadly campanulate and eventually revolute, apex remaining somewhat broadly domelike, upon expansion becoming 1.6 to 4.0 cm broad, white a first and remaining white where covered by the universal veil. Margins eventually becoming black due to spore production and lysis. Surface showing only a small amount of plicate striation where not covered by the universal veil along the margin, mostly covered by a thick, densely interwoven universal veil which may remain in one caplike piece or break up into irregular patches and areolae, the surface under the universal veil usually becoming evident only upon complete pileal expansion and then mostly along the pileal margin. Flesh under the thick universal veil thin and membranous, only becoming about 1.0 mm thick at the apex. Stipe hollow, stuffed with widely spaced and more or less loose hyphae that sometimes form a fine webbing or a slender yarnlike thread in the center of the lumen, somewhat slender, nearly equal above the distinctly bulbous base, 4.0-7.5 cm x 2.5-6.0 mm, and the base itself 6.0-12.0 mm in diameter, white and opaque. Bulb of stipe base with a distinct volvate ridge on its upper surface, well separated from the stipe shaft. Flesh fairly thick and fibrous, up to 1.5 mm thick, the base tending to be solid. Surface of base outside of the volva covered with sand grains and debris. Lamellae narrowly ovate to lanceolate, some short lamellulae present, but sometimes few in number 0.8-2.8 x 1.0-1.2 cm, free and remote to free and close, crowded at first, then somewhat less crowded with the limited development of plicate striation as the pileus expands, pale then black. Autolysis fairly complete, the lamellae all lysing and only the universal veil and part of the pileal surface remaining. Odor and taste unknown.
Spores broadly ovate to somewhat mitriform in dorsal view, ovate-ellipsoidal in lateral view, somewhat flattened 17.5-22.6 x 11.2-16.3 x 10.6-12.5 µm, apiculus sometimes large and conspicuous, and sometimes small and not conspicuous, germ pore eccentric and broad, 2.5-3.2 µm in diameter. Color en masse soot black, microscopically deep clear brown to deep purplish brown in 3% KOH. Wall smooth. Basidia trimorphic, short clavate and 38.8-47.5 x 18.8 µm, long clavate and 50.0-62.5 x 17.5-18.8 µm, subululiform and 53.8-60.5 x 17.5-25.0 µm, all four-spored, sterigmata pigmented or plugged. Cheilocystidia probably present but destroyed by lysis of lamellar margin. No other cystidia present. Pileal surface a cutis of radially oriented hyphae. Universal veil consisting of a thick feltlike portion on the pileus and a distinct volvate rim on the upper part of the bulbous base of the stipe, the pileal universal veil composed of long chains of cylindrical to sausagelike swollen cells that are constricted at the septations. All cells smooth, hyaline, and thin walled, 25.0-195.0 x 3.7-50.5 µm. Some narrow hyphae interwoven among the swollen cells and sometimes anastomosed with them, appearing to bind the larger filaments together. The volval universal veil composed of the same kind of elements but having a larger proportion of the slender nonswollen filaments. Clamp-connections present on stipe and sometimes on universal veil elements.
Habitat. Terrestrial, on sandy or gravelly soil in dry to semiarid areas, solitary or in groups of scattered individuals.

This species is closely related to two other species, C. asterophorus and C. asterophoroides. It differs from C. asterophorus in its larger flattened spores, much larger basidia, persistent stipe thread, nonasteriform universal veil remnant on the pileus, and white universal veil as opposed to honey yellow to chamois. C. xerophilus differs from C. asterophoroides in its pileal universal veil of scattered patches, larger germ pore, presence of a bulbous volvate stipe base, and lack of a pigmented apex of the basidia. These species bear a striking superficial resemblance to the gasteroid genus Montagnea.

Observations:
Spores [20,1,1] 16.0-21.3 x 11.7-16.4 µm, (broadly) ellipsoid or tending obovoid with rounded base and apex, with slightly eccentric to almost central, c. 1.8 µm wide germ pore, very dark red-brown, almost black; Q = 1.25-1.40, av. Q = 1.30; av. L = 19.2, av. B = 14.8 µm. Basidia, pseudoparaphyses and cystidia collapsed. Veil a mixture of hyphoid, ellipsoid or fusoid elements, 10-125 x 2-50 µm, and (sub)globose cells, up to 80 µm in diam.; connective hyphae numerous, collaroid, diverticulate and 1.5-4 µm wide. Clamp-connections not found.

Notes: The bad material consists of one basidiocarp and a part. Only veil and spores could be identified on the material.
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