Gyromitra brunnea

[ Ascomycetes > Pezizales > Discinaceae > Gyromitra . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

This springtime false morel is apparently limited to the midwestern and eastern parts of the United States. It is extremely variable in appearance, but it can be distinguished from other Gyromitra mushrooms by its tan to reddish brown cap, which is decidedly lobed and often gathered into two or three points, creating a saddle-shaped appearance. The surface of the underside of the cap is creamy to tan--and nearly always visible in "seams" where sections of the cap are joined.

Gyromitra brunnea can be very difficult to separate from Gyromitra caroliniana; see this annotated photo for a direct comparison.

Description:

Ecology: Officially saprobic, but potentially also mycorrhizal--or, like the true morels, donning both ecological hats in the course of its life cycle; found under hardwoods in spring; widely distributed in the midwest and eastern states.

Cap: 4-8 cm, variable in shape but generally with 2-4 lobes raised and pinched together in a saddle-shaped formation; tan to reddish brown; underside paler, frequently ingrown with stem where contact occurs.

Flesh: Whitish or flushed rose; brittle; chambered; usually thick in the stem.

Stem: 2-9 cm long; pale pinkish tan to pure white in age; generally not round in cross-section; smooth; sometimes discoloring grayish on handling.

Microscopic Features: Spores 24-30 x 13.5-15 µ; with 1-3 oil droplets.

There is considerable confusion in the literature regarding the names Gyromitra brunnea and Gyromitra fastigiata. The species name Gyromitra fastigiata seems so confused as to be useless, since it is applied to so many different mushrooms by so many authors. Nancy Weber (1995) uses Gyromitra fastigiata for the species described here, and indicates that the discrepancies result from "differences in interpreting the original description and illustration of Gyromitra fastigiata." I have used an older name, Gyromitra brunnea for the species.

REFERENCES: Underwood, 1894. (Weber 1995; Abbott & Currah, 1997; Kuo, 2005.) Herb. FMP 04089502, 04010301, 04140403, 05260402, 04050501, 04070501, 04100602, 05050604.

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2006, March). Gyromitra brunnea. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gyromitra_brunnea.html