| Snow Morel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Phylum: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Ascomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Discinaceae |
| Genus: | Gyromitra |
| Species: | G. gigas |
| Binomial name | |
| Gyromitra gigas (Krombh.) Cooke 1878 |
|
| Gyromitra gigas | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
| smooth hymenium | |
| cap is convex | |
| hymenium attachment is not applicable | |
| stipe is bare | |
|
spore print is yellow to buff |
|
|
ecology is saprotrophic or mycorrhizal |
|
|
edibility: choice but not recommended |
|
Gyromitra gigas, commonly known as the snow morel, snow false morel, calf brain, or bull nose, is a fungus and a member of the Ascomycota. G. gigas is found in Europe, western North America where it is common in mountainous areas in coniferous forests, and eastern North America where it is found with both conifers and hardwoods.[1] It is referred to as one of the false morels, due to its similar appearance and occurrence in the spring and early summer in similar habitats to true morels (Morchella ssp.). It is edible if properly prepared but should be avoided due to variability and similarity to other more toxic species of Gyromitra.[2]
This scientific names G. montana and G. korfii have been made synonymous with G. gigas based on an analysis of spore morphology.[3][4]