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Stinkhorn or Morel? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tri-Counties Birder
- Start date
Sean F said:
I'm fairly sure that it is a Mitrophora semilibera, which is sometimes classed as a Morel. It is perhaps the most common of the Morel species, though the true Morels are in the Morchella genus.
I would be interested to know precisely when it was found, as the usual season is Spring, with April and May being the usual months, at least down here in Southern England. It is a fairly frequent species, though not common. It is rather variable. The brain like cap can be larger than the stem, or it can be tiny. I have eaten them, but I can't say they are worth bothering with.
Please note that there are deadly poisonous look-alikes so eating is not really advised unless you know what you are doing.
I have found them at the side of woodland paths, alongside canals, and in scrub vegetation on chalk soil. They seem to occur where people walk dogs, which kind of puts me off eating them anyway!
See here for a description and photos:
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6464.asp
Leif
Silver
Registered Sane
Indeed a morel and in my view this is a very good, characteristic specimen of Morchella elata.
Morels are variable and difficult and there is little agreement as to how many species there are. Taking a conservative view, Morchella conica is a synonym of M. elata, so I am agreeing with Xenospiza. There are good matches to Sean's photograph in the beautifully illustrated French book on them by Emile Jacquetant and a reasonably typical internet photograph at
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/MISCELLANEOUS/m1.htm.
In shape, though not quite in colour, it is an exact match to a variant that has been called "purpuracens", though this is just part of the variation in M. elata.
I don't think it is Mitrophora. The critical distinction is that in Mitrophora, the edges of the "cap" extend down like a skirt, whereas in Morchella, the edge of the "cap" is fused with the stem. We cannot tell for certain from Sean's photograph (this really needs the specimen to be cut lengthways), but in Mitrophora, the "cap" is usually much smaller in relation to the length of the stem. In fact the "cap" usually looks ridiculously small on the top of the swollen stem.
I really have no doubt that is is Morchella elata.
Alan
Morels are variable and difficult and there is little agreement as to how many species there are. Taking a conservative view, Morchella conica is a synonym of M. elata, so I am agreeing with Xenospiza. There are good matches to Sean's photograph in the beautifully illustrated French book on them by Emile Jacquetant and a reasonably typical internet photograph at
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/MISCELLANEOUS/m1.htm.
In shape, though not quite in colour, it is an exact match to a variant that has been called "purpuracens", though this is just part of the variation in M. elata.
I don't think it is Mitrophora. The critical distinction is that in Mitrophora, the edges of the "cap" extend down like a skirt, whereas in Morchella, the edge of the "cap" is fused with the stem. We cannot tell for certain from Sean's photograph (this really needs the specimen to be cut lengthways), but in Mitrophora, the "cap" is usually much smaller in relation to the length of the stem. In fact the "cap" usually looks ridiculously small on the top of the swollen stem.
I really have no doubt that is is Morchella elata.
Alan
I have attached two photos of Mitrophora semilibera. In my experience the large cap short stem version is the more common, though this may vary by region. In this case the two specimens were within a few metres of each other. They were collected between Reading and Slough. It is a very variable species. The third attachment is a photo of Morchella elata, which is rather similar to the large head Mitrophora. It was collected near Christchurch at the edge of the New Forest.
Notice also that with the true Morel the head is larger than the stem, whereas the disputed fungus has a long stem.
In the south Mitrophora is the more common species, at least away from gardens, and cultivated flower beds.
What were the nearby trees? M. elata grows with conifers, though it does also occur on wood chips on flower beds. I once found a large number of very large specimens on wood chips in the grounds of the Nestle factory in Hayes. The security guards would not let me enter the grounds.
Leif
Notice also that with the true Morel the head is larger than the stem, whereas the disputed fungus has a long stem.
In the south Mitrophora is the more common species, at least away from gardens, and cultivated flower beds.
What were the nearby trees? M. elata grows with conifers, though it does also occur on wood chips on flower beds. I once found a large number of very large specimens on wood chips in the grounds of the Nestle factory in Hayes. The security guards would not let me enter the grounds.
Leif
Attachments
rmielcarek
Well-known member
Tri-Counties Birder
AKA The Portland Naturalist
Thanks for all the info.
In response to the questions about it:
Date: April
Size: no more than 10cm
Location: no coniferous trees nearby, but was close to hedge and a garden.
Sorry, should have given this sort of info before.
Thanks again.
P.S. sorry for the late reply, been away for the last few days.
In response to the questions about it:
Date: April
Size: no more than 10cm
Location: no coniferous trees nearby, but was close to hedge and a garden.
Sorry, should have given this sort of info before.
Thanks again.
P.S. sorry for the late reply, been away for the last few days.
Silver
Registered Sane
Sean F said:
Hmmm, 10 cm.
I hate to admit this, but despite my earlier confidence, I am starting to agree with Leif.
Accepting that there are variants of Mitrophora with a larger head, I would still expect the head to have a sort of "pinched in" look, as in the photographs Leif has posted. However, Richard's photographs above are undoubtedly, Mitrophora - we can see the base of the head is not fused to the stem - but they are very similar to Sean's photograph that started this thread. Also, living in the south, Leif sees a lot more Mitrophora than I do.
I am not saying it is NOT Morchella elata (aggregate). The shape is still more that than Mitrophora, in my opinion, and the small size does not rule it out. It requires acid ground but is by no means restricted to conifers. As far as I know, we simply cannot tell from the photograph.
But, sigh, Mitrophora is looking more likely.
Alan
