SOME COMMON MUSHROOMS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM V4 
NSO SEE 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.—Worchella 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. 
