A user-friendly point-and-click key to the
 M
ushrooms of North America
(Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek)

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Key 9

Ascomycetes
(True morels, false morels, cup fungi, earth tongues)

 

Is the head light brown, not attached directly to stalk, but recessed somewhat; stalk long and slim?

Yes

Is the head attached directly to the stalk? ...............................   ..........   ...................      .......................    .....................

Yes

If both of these are NO click here

 

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You have a Morchella semilebra

 

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Does it have ridges and pits; yellow-brown?

Yes

Are the ridges black; heads with black pits?

Yes

Are the ridges white; pits deep-brown?

Yes

If all three of these are NO you may have a False Morel

 

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You have a Morchella esculenta

 

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You have a Morchella augusticeps

 

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You have a Morchella deliciosa

 

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Does it fruit in the spring?

Yes

Does it fruit in summer and fall?

Yes

 

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Is it bell-shaped; caps smooth or wrinkled, stalk equal and narrow? ...............................

Yes

Is it cup-like, lobed to saddle-shaped; stalk various shapes, often ribbed?

Yes

 

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Is the cap smooth?

Yes

Is the cap wrinkled?

Yes

 

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You have a Verpa conica

 

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You have a Verpa bohemica

 

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Is it not found near melting snow banks?

Yes

Is it found near or under snow banks in the Rockies?

Yes

 

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Is the stalk deeply ribbed, white with red stains; cap large, thin, very brittle?

Yes

The stalk does not stain red? .........  .......................  .........................  ....................

Yes

 

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You have a Gyromitra californica

 

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Is the cap massive, extremely wrinkled, dark brown; grows in the East?

Yes

Is the cap medium, yellow-brown to chocolate? ................................   .........................

Yes

 

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You have a Gyromitra caroliniana

 

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Is the cap saddle-shaped; is the stalk 1" - 2"?

Yes

Is the cap wrinkled; stalk 0.4" - 1"? ...............................

Yes

 

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You have a Gyromitra brunnea

 

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You have a Gyromitra esculenta

 

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Is the stalk nearly smooth?

Yes

Is the stalk deeply ribbed?

Yes

 

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Is the stalk 2" - 4" tall, thin, white; head saddle-shaped and dark brown?

Yes

Is the cap wrinkled; is the stalk 0.4" - 1"?

 

Yes

 

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You have a Helvella elastica

 

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You have a Gyromitra  infula

 

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Is the stalk short, white; head cup shaped? ...................................   ..................................

Yes

Is the stalk long, pale reddish to red-brown; head wrinkled, saddle-shaped to wrinkled?

Yes

 

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You have a Paxina acetabulum

 

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You have a Helvella lacunosa

 

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You have a Gyromitra gigas

 

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Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek
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