SOME COMMON MUSHROOMS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 57 



MORCHELLA, MOREL 



The morels, belonging to the genus Morchella, are very easily 

 distinguished by the prominently ridged and pitted cap, which is 

 hollow and continuous with the cavity of the stem to which it is 

 adnate throughout its length. The plants are stipitate, waxy, and 

 brittle in consistency, and the caps are conic or cylindric to ovate 

 in shape. 



From early historic times the morels have been considered among 

 the choicest edible fungi. 



Figure 49. — Morchella esculenta. (Edible) 



MORCHELLA ESCULENTA. MOREL. ( EDIBLE) 



(Fig. 49) 



The species of most common occurrence is Morchella esculenta, the common 

 morel, or, as it is sometimes known, the sponge mushroom. The plants are 

 from 2 to 4 inches high and about 1% to 2 inches broad ; the cap is ovate or 

 oblong, deeply pitted, dingy yellow or tawny; the stem is 1 to 2 inches 

 long, stout, generally hollow, whitish. This species is widely distributed and 

 occurs abundantly on the ground, particularly along banks of streams or 

 in sandy localities. 



Considerable variation in shape may be observed among individual speci- 

 mens of a single collection. The caps may vary from conical to ovate. 

 Certain authorities consider this a specific difference and others a variety. 



