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The name False Morel is given to a number of Ascomycete mushrooms which bear a resemblance to the highly regarded true morels of the genus Morchella. It may be applied to several species in the genus Gyromitra, including:
- G. esculenta (beefsteak fungus)
- G. infula (elfin saddle)
- G. caroliniana
- G. gigas (Snow morel)
The name is also sometimes used for mushrooms of the genus Verpa, including:
The Verpas are also known as early morels or thimble morels.
The edibility of all "False morels" has been recently brought into question. While many people eat them without apparent harm, some people have developed acute toxicity and recent evidence suggests that there may be long-term health risks as well. Eating any "False Morel" is not recommended, at least until more is known about possible toxins.
References
- Michael W. Beug, Marilyn Shaw, and Kenneth W. Cochran. Thirty plus Years of Mushroom Poisoning: Summary of the Approximately 2,000 Reports in the NAMA Case Registry. From summary at http://www.blogcharm.com/mycos/
- Benjamin, Denis R. (1995). Mushrooms: poisons and panaceas — a handbook for naturalists, mycologists and physicians. New York: WH Freeman and Company. ISBN 0-7167-2600-9.