Major Groups > True Morels & Verpas > Verpa bohemica

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Verpa bohemica

[ Ascomycota > Pezizales > Morchellaceae > Verpa . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Verpa bohemica, mistakenly called the "early morel" in some areas, appears very early in the spring, and continues fruiting during the true morel season. It bears a resemblance to the half-free morels, Morchella populiphila and Morchella punctipes, but the half-free morels are exactly that—half-free—while Verpa bohemica has a cap that hangs completely free of the stem, attached only at the top. Another way to separate the two mushrooms is to cut them open; the half-free morels are hollow, while Verpa bohemica usually has cotton-candy-like wisps of flesh inside. On close inspection, the verpa has a cap that is (usually) different, as well; it tends to look wrinkled, rather than pitted (though old specimens can develop a decidedly "pitted" look).

Ptychoverpa bohemica is a synonym.

Description:

Ecology: Probably mycorrhizal; found under hardwoods (and sometimes under conifers) in early spring; widely distributed throughout northern North America. The illustrated and described collections are from Michigan.

Cap: 2–4 cm high; 1.5–3 cm across; nearly conical, or bell-shaped, or somewhat irregular; wrinkled longitudinally, sometimes appearing pitted and ridged (and then with ridges darker than pits); dry or moist; finely fuzzy or bald; tan to brown or dark yellow brown; undersurface whitish.

Stem: 8–22 cm long; 1.5–3 cm thick; more or less equal, or sometimes tapered upwards or downwards; creamy white to dull yellow; sometimes discoloring orangish when handled; often featuring fine scurf that forms concentric belts.

Flesh: Thin; the cap and stem are hollow, or loosely stuffed with whitish, wispy fibers (like cotton candy) in the stem.

Odor and Taste: Not distinctive.

Chemical Reactions: Ammonia, KOH, and iron salts negative on cap surface.

Microscopic Features: Spores 48–85 x 15–24 µm; ellipsoid to elongated-ellipsoid; smooth; thick-walled; hyaline in KOH; contents homogeneous. Asci 2-spored. Paraphyses 200–300 x 5–7.5 µm; cylindric; septate; smooth; hyaline to brownish in KOH; apices rounded or subclavate.


REFERENCES: (Krombholz, 1828) Schröter, 1893. (Saccardo, 1889; Seaver, 1942; Smith, 1975; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Breitenbach & Kränzlin, 1984; Arora, 1986; McKnight & McKnight, 1987; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Weber, 1995; Barron, 1999; Kuo, 2005; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006; Trudell & Ammirati, 2009; O'Donnell et al., 2011; Methven et al., 2013; Kuo & Methven, 2014; Siegel & Schwarz, 2016; Cripps, Evenson & Kuo, 2016.) Herb. Kuo 05249702, 05110305, 05090602, 05231405.


This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.


 

Verpa bohemica

Verpa bohemica

Verpa bohemica

Verpa bohemica

Verpa bohemica

Verpa bohemica
Spores and asci

Verpa bohemica
Paraphyses and ascus



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Kuo, M. (2019, May). Verpa bohemica. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/verpa_bohemica.html