Some Fungus

[goooner]

Saw this over the weekend. Not sure what type it is (between 10 and 20cm high). On the 1st day it was closed, like in the in the 2nd picture. On day 2 it opened. 1st pic is with on camera pop up flash, 2nd pic with available light. I need to practice some

 

[Actinia]

The second picture looks like the Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig, Coprinus comatus, which is very common here in the UK. It is also good to eat if you catch it young. I would guess that this species is the same the other side of the pond.

The name Inkcap is because, as you can see in the first picture, the cap dissolves releasing the spores in an inky mess. The name 'Lawyer's Wig' is from the horsehair wigs that lawyers have to wear in court in the UK.

If you do eat them, beware of alcohol. They react to make you sick. A drug from them was once used as cure for alcoholism.