Tags
Botony, Edible and poisonus mushrooms. True and false Morels, Macro Monday, Nikon D90, Photography, Uncategorized, ViewNX
Ascomycetes – Morchella – The true Morels vs the False Morels
If I told you where these were, I would have to shoot you! They are a spring mushroom, and highly prized. We also encountered some false Morels, which are poison. I’m grateful that I have my Dad’s mushroom books to help me identify them.
Gyromitra, Helvella, and Related Species of the False Morels
Gromitra Brunnea Underwood
Cap large 5-15 cm broad, often saddled-shaped, lobed, often veined, chocolate-brown, white beneath, Flesh brittle, white. Stalk large, 16 – 15 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, Slightly larger base, somewhat ribbed to smooth, white, nearly hollow to cottony inside. Spores 28 – 30 x 12 – 15 elliptical, finely warted.
Single or several under hardwood forests in eastern North America in early Sp. Causes severe illness from high levels of MMH. (Group V toxins). G. fastigiata (Krombh.) Rehm (394B) is similar but looks as though it might be a darker brown formm of southern Helvella gigas; however it also contains Group V toxins. It is occasionally found at low elevation in western North America.
This mushroom is identical to the one depicted in 394B
Macro Monday challenge
Elizabeth Gaye MacDonald, Plein Air Artist 
really cool photographs, they are so detailed
Great Macros..we have lots of morels in the woods in this area.. lots of people got sick on them this year..I don’t care for them..in fact I may be a bit allergic to them:)
I wonder if they picked the wrong ones? I’ve actually never eaten them, but my Dad and Mom would pick them every spring.
It’s a good photographer who can depict the difference between heavenly eating and Heaven-going!
Haha Linda!
OMG! I love these photos! Especially the first photo, really beautiful!
We had only one mushroom last year, and we scattered it where we found it. This year we had 15! So we scattered them as well. Trying to make a Morel farm. I’m told they sell for $50 a pint! When my nephew heard this he scoured the whole property and excitedly brought me to the second photo. I though… hmmm let me get the book this does not look right. So I’m really glad I have the books!
Very cool shots, one mistake could kill ya..:-)