The "ink-cap" mushrooms, characterised by the gills and cap collapsing into an black, inky mass as they mature. Flesh thin and delicate. Most species are small, the caps often more or less oval in shape, but the tall cylindric Coprinus comatus (shaggy mane) is up to 25 cm high. The small species are often found in large clumps, either on soil or dead wood. They can appear and be gone again within 24 hours. Stalk central with no ring, gills black. Spore print black.

Saprobes, on soil, manure, fallen wood, and dead stumps.

Several species were described from New Zealand by early mycologists, but these fungi are most commonly found in urban and cultivated rural areas, and most species are assumed to be introduced. About 20 species have been reported from New Zealand, although their taxonomy in New Zealand is poorly understood.

Small, delicate, deliquescing mushrooms, on rotting wood, wood chip mulches and soil. Most New Zealand species appear to be exotic, but poorly understood taxonomically.

Several of the 20 or more species reported from New Zealand may have been incorrectly indentified. Only those species listed below have descriptions or images available from NZFungi.

Pileus regular, thin, often striate; . gills free or variously attached, never decurrent, whitish at first, becoming black with the spores, deliquescing at maturity; stem central, sometimes with a volva and ring; spores black.

Distinguished from allies by the deliquescence of the gills at maturity, which become converted into a dripping mass of inky-black fluid. The pileus also disappears very quickly. Growing on dung, or rich soil, sometimes round stumps, posts, &c. ; usually clustered.