The shaggy ink cap mushroom is an edible mushroom common in most of Europe and also in North America. This mushroom is also known as the shaggy mane or the lawyer’s wig.
Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap mushroom. The picture was taken in Békéscsaba, Hungary.
The shaggy ink cap mushroom is edible when fresh but it quickly self destructs and the raw mushroom cannot be stored.
There are various stories on the Internet that Coprinus comatus cures diabetes and even cures cancer, I was however unable to find any reputable source stating anything along those lines.
Coprinus comatus in the Rain.
As with any mushroom, caution is advised if you collect shaggy ink cap mushrooms yourself, because there are poisonous mushrooms that look similar. If in doubt about the identity of any mushroom you have collected you should ask an expert, don’t just eat it because you think you know what it is.
Further Readings:
Coprinus comatus, Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer’s Wig mushroom.
Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus) Mushroom-Collecting.com.
Coprinus comatus: The Shaggy Mane (MushroomExpert.Com).