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Gyromitra esculenta

 
Gyromitra esculenta, commonly called the Turban Fungus, is deadly poisonous. Unfortunately it is sometimes mistakenly collected by people looking for morels (Morchella esculenta).

Identification guide

Description

 The red-brown cap is irregularly lobed, rather like a brain, and is usually broader than it is tall. Rounded margins to the contortions result in irregular hollow chambers inside the cap.

The stipe is short, creamy-white and fragile. Inside the stipe are several irregular tube-like hollow.

Dimensions

Cap 5 to 15 cm across; 4 to 8cm tall; stipe  2 to 3 cm across and 2 to 5 cm tall.

Spore print

 Cream.

Odour/taste

 Not distinctive.

Habitat

 In coniferous woodland; rare in the lowlands but more common in mountainous regions.

Season

 Spring and early summer.

Occurrence

 Infrequent.

Similar species
  1. Morchella esculenta, the true Morel, has a deeply pitted cap and a single hollow chamber; its stipe is usually longer than that of Gyromitra esculenta.
  2. Helvella crispa has a creamy-white contorted saddle-shaped cap and a stipe with longitudinal tube-like hollows.
First Nature Multimedia Guide to Fungi
There is a lot more about this species and hundreds of other beautiful and fascinating mushrooms and toadstools on our CD-ROM for PCs with Internet Explorer. Details...

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