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Classic Yellow Morels (Morchella species) [ Ascomycetes > Pezizales > Morchellaceae > Morchella . . . ]
by Michael Kuo The yellow morels of North America have ridges that do not darken with maturity, and caps that are (usually) tightly attached to the stem, without forming a substantial "rim" at the point of attachment. Deliciosa Morels, with their pointed caps and sparse, vertically arranged ridges, are one group of yellow morels; the "Classic Yellow Morels" form the other group, in which the caps are larger and (usually) rounder, and the ridges are randomly arranged and densely packed. Classic yellows are found across the continent, in a wide variety of habitats. In my opinion the Classic Yellow Morels are the best morels for the table; their texture is meaty and their flavor, while subtle, is truly wonderful. They represent the pinnacle of the Midwestern morel season, appearing after the Black Morels and Half-Free Morels, often under ash or dead elms, or in old apple orchards. Study of morels in the Morel Data Collection Project has revealed four North American morels in the "Classic Yellow" group, so far. One of these (Taxon 1, which I have called "the" Classic Yellow Morel) is apparently transcontinental, and is found in a wide variety of ecosystems. The three similar "classics" (Taxon 12, Taxon 13, and Taxon 15) appear to have more limited ecological and geographic niches, but more data is needed before this can be said with scientific confidence--and even if these limitations turn out to apply, they wouldn't help much with yellow morel identification, since the Classic Yellow can apparently grow anywhere its look-alikes appear. Analysis of these mushrooms is also beginning to suggest the possibility that some of them, at least, may be separable on the basis of their physical features--but, again, not enough collections have been studied to state any conclusions with scientific certainty. North American mushroom guides use the name "Morchella esculenta" for the morels I am describing here. The name is perfectly accurate, as a broad descriptor of a large subset of mushrooms within the genus Morchella. Nothing bad will happen if you use the name Morchella esculenta in a non-scientific way--and, to be honest, you couldn't make Morchella taxonomy any worse if you were to publish the name in a scientific journal and apply it to a certain brand of bicycle tire. The short version of the story is: the name has been confusing since it was created; it has been applied uncritically for centuries; and, here in North America, we have at least four genetically distinct candidates for the name (which represents a European mushroom that can't be compared to our mushrooms until someone figures all of this out). The long version of the story, for those who care, can be found here. Description: Ecology: Mycorrhizal and saprobic at different points in its life cycle; found under hardwoods and conifers; renowned for prolific fruitings in association with ash and dying elms (also known for occurring in old apple orchards), but not exclusive to these trees; found in spring, following the Black Morels; widely distributed in North America. Cap: 2-10 (17) cm; variable in shape but generally very broadly conical or egg-shaped, at least when mature; pitted and ridged; initially with dark pits and light ridges; when mature with more or less similarly colored, yellowish brown pits and ridges; the edges of the ridges often eroding with age; completely attached to the stem, without a substantial "rim" at the point of attachment; hollow. Stem: 2.5-8 (10) cm; whitish or pale tan, sometimes discoloring brownish or rust color; smooth or with granules; variable in shape; hollow. In late spring a form occurs with a swollen stem base; these mushrooms are quite large and the base of the stem consists of several layers of flaky, pastry-like flesh. Some authors list this form as a separate species, Morchella crassipes, but DNA testing has determined that these swollen-footed specimens do not represent a different species. Spore Print: Creamy yellow to orange. Microscopic Features: Spores 21-25 x 12-16 µ; smooth; elliptical; without oil droplets. REFERENCES: (Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Weber & Smith, 1985; Arora, 1986; States, 1990; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Metzler & Metzler, 1992; Horn, Kay & Abel, 1993; Weber, 1995; Evenson, 1997; Barron, 1999; Roody, 2003; Kuo 2005.) Further Online Information: Taxon 1 in the MDCP |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2006, April). Classic yellow morels (Morchella species). Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_yellow.html. |