Morel semi-free (Morchella semilibera) photo and description

Habitat

The distribution area in Russia is mainly broad-leaved forests, the edges of mixed forest plantations, felling, ditches, glades. However, morels do not only grow in deciduous and mixed forests. They can be found on lawns, near landfills, old fireplaces and burnt sites, in parks, grassy meadows and even sands (Figure 4).

The first myceliums grow in well-moistened forests in April, the peak of activity falls in May-June and the decline - in warm October or late September.

Mushroom pickers eagerly opening the season are advised to go in search of the nearest forest. The common morel hides under trees, shrubs, in ravines on humus.

Figure 4. Morels are ubiquitous, although they prefer well-lit areas

The conical morel is less "shy", because it can be found right in the middle of the clearing sticking out through the remnants of unmelted snow.

Where and when to collect morels

The main characteristic of morels is that they only appear for a short period each year, usually from April to May. They grow very quickly, almost instantly.

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Mushroom pickers can start searching when daytime temperatures are set at 15-20 degrees, nighttime temperatures are at least +5 degrees. Soil temperature also plays a role: for optimal growth of morels, it should be 4-10 degrees.

Morels tend to grow around ash. Most often they can be found under trees (poplars, elms, maples), especially those dying or recently dead. Such interesting properties are simply explainable: most of the fungus is underground, and the mycelium begins to actively multiply when something threatens its ecosystem.

Morel semi-free (lat.Morchella semilibera)

Name Morel is semi-free.Latin name: Morchella semilibera.Other names:Department: Ascomikota.Class: Pecicomycetes.Order: Pecicaceae.Family: Morels.Genus: Morel.Conditionally edible mushroom.

Leg

40-90 mm high, 20-40 mm thick, hollow, cylindrical, whitish in young fruiting bodies, then creamy or yellowish. It has whitish small scales that cover the entire surface.

Hat

20-50 mm in height, 28-45 mm in diameter, conical in shape with a flattened top. The surface is wrinkled, spongy, the cavities are vertically elongated, the outer septa are noticeably darker and thinner. The edge does not adjoin the stem, which is a feature of this species, but nevertheless forms a single cavity with the stem. Brownish, light brown, dark ocher color, covered with hymenium (spore-bearing layer).

Pulp

In young fruit bodies, it is fragile and brittle, then slightly elastic, without a pronounced taste, with an unpleasant odor.

Habitat

Grows on forest floor, soil, prefers thickets of tall grass. Like all morels, it is a saprophyte. Quite rare when compared with other species of this genus.

Similarity

It resembles a tall Morel (Morchella elata), it differs in a non-adjoining hat, which is why it got its name.

The nutritional value

Like all representatives of this genus, it is a conditionally edible mushroom. And it is used in a variety of dishes. It is worth noting that there is an individual intolerance to morels by some people.

Mushrooms of a line similar to morels: varieties, edible or inedible, what they look like, description, photo

Two morel mushrooms have grown near Strochka

Until recently, line mushrooms were considered conditionally edible.

To eat them, you must first prepare them properly.
If you do not follow the technology, the poison is not destroyed, and the body is poisoned.
With simple boiling or drying of mushrooms, gyromitrin does not volatilize.
You must first soak the mushrooms for a long time, and only then cook. But this does not always help.
If the human body is sensitive to even a small dose of such a poison, then surely, after eating the lines, severe poisoning may appear. Therefore, now these mushrooms are included in the list of poisonous ones.

As mentioned above, line mushrooms are similar to morels.

It is important to learn to distinguish between them. Here are the types of lines - edible or inedible, as they look, with a description and photo:

Mushroom stitching ordinary

An ordinary line - Gyromitra esculenta. Grows on sand and mixed soils, under conifers. Appears in spring - late April, early May.
The hat is brown, wrinkled, with many folds. With age, a lighter shade appears. Inside it is empty, with convolutions. The edge of the cap is adhered to the leg.
The leg is also uneven, folded, tapering at the base. The inside is white and hollow.
The pulp is odorless, fragile and light.

Mushroom stitching giant

The line is giant - Gyromitra gigas. Grows next to birches. This type of stitching has a lighter hat and disputes are arranged differently.
The hat is curvy, bizarre in shape - externally resembles a human brain or the inside of a walnut.
The leg is usually small but wide. The color is light. Ocher-colored leg inside.

Autumn line

Autumn line - Gyromitra infula. This type of stitching contains the largest amount of poisons and toxins of all the above.
The hat is horn-shaped, brown in color. 10 cm wide, velvety surface.
The leg is thin. Hollow inside. There is a powdery coating on the surface.
The pulp is fragile, white, and resembles wax in structure.
You can meet such a mushroom in the forest on tree logs or on the soil under trees.

These mushrooms are poisonous to humans, but they are of particular value for medicine. The pulp, cleared of poisons and toxins, is used for the manufacture of medicines that help get rid of inflammation in the internal organs - the pancreas, liver, intestines, and so on.

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Edibility

Morel steppe - Wikipedia claims that these mushrooms do not need to be boiled beforehand. This is a delicious edible mushroom. Some consider it to be the most delicious mushroom in the Morel family. Mushrooms can be fried, dried, stewed, made mushroom sauces and added to the first and second courses. They go well with meat, fish and poultry.

Since, according to many sources, morels of all types are considered conditionally edible mushrooms, we recommend boiling this species for 15 minutes before use. After that, you can cook them in any convenient way.

Since the fruit body is quite dense, the steppe morels are often dried for the winter. The most difficult thing will be to knock out dust and sand from the "brain-like" caps. To do this, before drying, the mushrooms must be blown out, then dried in the sun for several days and blown out again. Then you can finish drying in the sun, in an electric dryer or in the oven. When dried in the sun, they will have a wonderful mushroom aroma that is characteristic of dried mushrooms.

Mushroom powder is made from dried morels, which can be added to any dishes.

Dried morels are soaked for about 10 hours before use. During this time, it completely regains its shape and size.

Morel mushrooms - edible or inedible, types, what they look like, what can be confused with: description, photo

Morel mushrooms

Morel mushrooms are on the list of conditionally edible mushrooms. They can be eaten, but after proper preparation.

Our ancestors also valued morels not only for their excellent nutritional properties, but also for their excellent medicinal effect in the treatment of diseases.
Scientists have even found manuscripts of ancient monks, which contain recipes for collecting and preparing chaga and morels.
Prepared medicines based on morels were used to treat eye diseases, muscle pains, bowel diseases and others. At the moment, these mushrooms are also actively used in the manufacture of medicines - tablets, ointments, and so on.

Morels, according to the Ministry of Health, have long been considered inedible due to the presence of Helvelic acid in them, which allegedly leads to poisoning.
But then scientists determined that this acid is harmless to humans.
Therefore, the fact that these mushrooms are classified as inedible is a misconception.
Even if a certain amount of Helvelic acid is present in morels, it is not toxic.

Morels are often confused with stitches that contain the poison gyromitrin. Outwardly, they are a bit similar.

The line is inedible

There are several types of morels, but the most common are three. These are the ones that are most often found in the forests of Russia. Here are the main types of morels and how they look - description, photo:

Mushroom Morel conical

Conical mushroom - Morchella conica. Biologists often call it Long. The upper part measures 10 cm x 5 cm. Outside, the hat has holes in the form of cells, dark in color with a brownish overflow. The cells are arranged in turn with brown or gray depressions. From below, the cap is spliced with the leg.
Spores are light, but may have a creamy sheen.
The leg rises above the ground at a height of 10 cm. Inside it is empty, light in color. The outside may be uneven, with a mealy bloom.
The pulp of this mushroom is tender, it has a whole bunch of smells from fragrant nutty to rich mushroom aromas.

Morels

Morel common - Morchella esculenta. This mushroom is called ordinary edible.
The top of the body resembles an egg. The cap can grow up to 12 cm in height, up to 10 cm in diameter. Inside it is empty, on the surface there are spongy holes with thin partitions.
The spores are brown with a touch of ocher.
The leg is empty inside, widened from below. From above, the leg is covered with a powdery bloom - yellowish or creamy. It can rise up to 15 cm in height and up to 6 cm in diameter. The leg is spliced with the cap, so you will not find lamellar partitions.
The pulp is light with a delicate bouquet of mushroom odors and an original taste.

Morels

Morel semi-free - Mitrophora semilibera. The body is small. If viewed from the outside, then the body is significantly different from the previous varieties.
Cap in the form of a cone, narrow at the top. The color is dark, the surface is folds and cells. There is a rim below that separates the cap from the leg. The height of the upper body of the mushroom is no more than 4 cm, the bottom diameter is 2.5 cm.
Spores are creamy.
The leg is graceful (no more than 2 cm in diameter), long (up to 10 cm in height), from white to yellowish. Hollow inside, on top - noticeable mealy. The bottom is thickened.
The pulp is creamy, with a pronounced mushroom aroma.

You can find other types of morels among the trees in the forest. They are also edible, and the dishes from them are original in taste. The main thing is not to confuse morels and lines.

Steppe morel

Morel (Morchella esculenta)

Synonyms:

The fruit body of the edible morel is large, fleshy, hollow inside, which is why the mushroom is very light in weight, 6-15 (up to 20) cm high. Consists of a "leg" and "cap". Edible morel is considered one of the largest mushrooms in the morel family.

The cap of an edible morel, as a rule, has an ovoid or ovoid-rounded shape, less often a flattened-spherical or spherical; along the edge grows tightly to the leg. The height of the cap is 3-7 cm, the diameter is 3-6 (up to see the color of the cap from yellow-brown to brown; becomes darker with age and drying.Since the color of the cap is close to the color of the fallen leaves, the fungus is hardly noticeable in litter. The surface of the cap is very uneven, wrinkled, consisting of deep pits-cells of various sizes, lined with hymenium. The shape of the cells is irregular, but closer to round; they are separated by narrow (1 mm thick), sinuous folds-ribs, longitudinal and transverse, colored lighter than the cells. The cells vaguely resemble a honeycomb, hence one of the English names for edible morel - honeycomb morel.

Morel stem is cylindrical, slightly thickened at the base, hollow inside (makes up a single cavity with a cap), fragile, 3-7 (up to 9) cm long and 1.5-3 cm thick. Young mushrooms have whitish stem, but darkens with age becoming yellowish or creamy. A fully ripe mushroom has a brownish, mealy or slightly flaked stem, often with longitudinal grooves at the base.

The pulp of the fruiting body is light (whitish, whitish-cream or yellowish-ocher), waxy, very thin, fragile and delicate, easily crumbles. The taste of the pulp is pleasant; there is no distinct smell.

Spore powder, yellowish, light buffy. Spores are ellipsoidal, smooth, less often granular, colorless, (19-22) × (11-15) microns in size, develop in fruit bags (asci), forming a continuous layer on the outer surface of the cap. Asci are cylindrical, 330 × 20 microns in size.

Edible morel is distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere - in Eurasia up to Japan and North America, as well as in Australia and Tasmania. Occurs singly, rarely in groups; quite rare, although the most common among morel mushrooms. It grows in well-lit places on fertile, lime-rich soil - from lowlands and river floodplains to mountain slopes: in light deciduous (birch, willow, poplar, alder, oak, ash and elm), as well as in mixed and coniferous forests, in parks and apple orchards; common in grassy, sheltered places (on lawns and forest edges, under bushes, in clearings and clearings, near fallen trees, along ditches and along the banks of streams). It can grow in sandy areas, near landfills and in places of old burnt places. In southern Russia, it is found in vegetable gardens, front gardens and lawns. This fungus develops abundantly in spring, from mid-April to June, especially after warm rains. It is usually found in forests on more or less fertile soil under deciduous trees, more often in grassy, well-protected places: under bushes, along ditches, on lawns in parks and gardens.
In Western Europe, the mushroom is found from mid-April to the end of May, in especially warm years - from March. In Russia, the mushroom usually appears not earlier than the beginning of May, but can occur until mid-June, occasionally, in a long warm autumn, even in early October.

Edible morel cannot be confused with any poisonous mushroom. From related species, the morel is conical and the morel is tall, it is distinguished by the rounded shape of the cap, the shape, size and arrangement of the cells. The round morel (Morchella rotunda) is very similar to it, which, however, is often considered as a form of edible morel.

Conditionally edible mushroom of the third category. Suitable for food after boiling in boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes (the broth is drained), or after drying without boiling.

Video about the Morel mushroom edible:

Where and when to look for morels

Morel mushrooms are common in the forest zone of the Northern Hemisphere with a temperate climate. As a rule, morels grow on calcareous soils, which distinguishes them from many other fungi, they need sunlight and moderate moisture. Morels usually hide in the grass, fallen leaves, or behind fallen tree trunks. Most often they grow under deciduous trees, can be found in orchards and parks, grow along streams and rivers. It is rare, but still possible, to find morels in coniferous or mixed forests. You can go in search of morels in early to mid-May, and usually the fruiting season ends in September.Provided a long and warm autumn, morels can be found until the end of October.

Reproduction of morels

Morels reproduce asexually or sexually.

The asexual method includes reproduction by parts of the mycelium (the body of the fungus) or by conidia (motionless spores).
Sexual reproduction is carried out with the help of ascospores (cells with half a set of chromosomes), which mature in bags (asci). Mushroom sacs are formed in fruiting bodies (apothecia), the formation of which is preceded by a sexual process called somatogamy. At the same time, vegetative hyphae of different individuals merge.

Morels are not lamellar or tubular mushrooms. Their hymenophore is smooth. The spore-bearing layer (hymen) is located along the bottom and slopes of the ribs and consists of asci with 8 ascospores. Asci are large, cylindrical, rounded at the top. Ascospores are ellipsoidal or spherical, with an uneven surface or smooth, arranged in one row, multinucleated at maturity. Morel spores can be colorless or slightly yellowish. They can be seen under an electron microscope. The release of spores is regulated by solar radiation and occurs gradually.

The life cycle of morels begins with the germination of multinucleated ascospores. The sprout gives rise to the primary haploid multinucleated mycelium, which has existed for a very short time. Ascospores are able to germinate even after prolonged dormancy or storage, after 4-5 years. The hyphae of the primary mycelium of morel form anastomoses (connection of two hyphae of one mycelium) or merge with the hyphae of another primary mycelium. As a result of the fusion, a diploid multinucleated organism emerges. In the future, he is able to enter into symbiosis with higher plants, form conidial sporulation or sclerotia (dormancy stage). The main reason for the formation of sclerotia is the lack of nutrients in the soil. In the life cycle of morels, the asexual (vegetative) stage prevails.

What is the difference between morels and lines?

Lines (Latin Gyromitra) are mushrooms that are often confused with morels. Both of them appear at approximately the same time. They are sold on the market under the general name "morels". But the lines are more poisonous, especially when raw, and in some countries they are even classified as inedible. Below are the differences between these mushrooms.

The surface of the cap does not contain cells, it is sinuous-wavy (similar to the brain or a peeled walnut), asymmetrical and does not grow to the stem. In morels, this part of the mycelium has a more regular shape, it is covered with convex ribs of cells of different depths, and in almost all species it grows to the stem.
The color of the cap line is yellow-brown, brown, less often brown or grayish, often with a reddish tint. In the morel, it is dirty grayish white or dark brown.
You can also distinguish the morel from the stitching by the leg. The stitch leg is shorter (3-6 cm) and thicker (up to 5 cm in diameter). It is uneven and often swollen at the base. Sometimes it doesn't exist at all. The morel has a leg about the length of the cap. She is also more slender.
The body of the line is not hollow inside: it is filled with septa and convolutions. On the cut, it is white with a purple tint. The cap and stem of the morel are usually empty inside, and the flesh of the mushroom is white, waxy and fragile.

Taxonomy, characteristics and description of the structure

Edible Morel, or Real Morel (Latin Morchella esculenta) is an edible mushroom belonging to the Morel family.

In the scientific community, the morel has several synonyms:

Phallus esculentus;
Helvella esculenta;
Morellus esculentus;
Morchella rotunda var. esculenta.

The fruiting body is represented by apothecia - a special type of body that differs from other cap mushrooms.

The cap of the morel edible has a characteristic ovoid blunt-pointed shape with a large number of folds; in young mushrooms it can be round or flattened-spherical. The color strongly depends on the growing conditions - from yellow-ocher to dark brown. The older the morel, the darker the hat.Sizes range from 3-7 cm in height and 3-8 cm in diameter. The folds are thin (1–2 mm thick).

The hymenophore - the part of the fungus that carries the tetium - in morels is located not inside the cap, but outside, lining its bottom and pits.

The leg is hollow inside, the thickness of the walls is 3-4 mm, the diameter is on average 1.5-3 cm. The length of the leg ranges from 3-9 cm. In young mushrooms, milky white or creamy white, smooth, darkens as the fungus ages and covered with thin flakes.

The flesh on the cut is the same color as the leg, does not darken. Very fragile, crumbles quickly, especially in old mushrooms. It has no distinct smell after cutting.

A bit of history

The mushroom was discovered and systematized several times by Karl Linnaeus. The first description under the name Phallus esculentus was made in 1753. The name Morchella esculenta was given later - in 1801 by the Dutch mycologist Christian Person.

Useful and medicinal properties

Morel conical, semi-free morel and common morel contain vitamins A, PP, phosphorus and calcium. Such a set is useful for vision, metabolic processes and bone tissue.

In addition, these mushrooms contain medicinal substances of complex action, which:

strengthens the eye muscles. As a result, hyperopia is corrected;
prevent clouding of the lens and, thus, provide prevention of cataracts;
increase appetite, help to cope with asthenia and anorexia;
have an analgesic effect. Alcohol tincture of morels has long been used for rubbing with radiculitis and rheumatism;
improve digestion, promote effective absorption of nutrients;
raise the general tone, are antidepressants;
have antimicrobial and antiviral activity, increase immunity.

What is the difference between morels and lines?

The surface of the cap does not contain cells, it is sinuous-wavy (similar to the brain or a peeled walnut), asymmetrical and does not grow to the stem. In morels, this part of the mycelium has a more regular shape, it is covered with convex ribs of cells of different depths, and in almost all species it grows to the stem.
The color of the cap line is yellow-brown, brown, less often brown or grayish, often with a reddish tint. In the morel, it is dirty grayish white or dark brown.

Left photo: edible morel (lat. Morchella esculenta), photo by: Björn S…, CC BY-SA 2.0; photo on the right: ordinary line (lat.Gyromitra esculenta), author of the photo: Botaurus, Public Domain

You can also distinguish the morel from the stitching by the leg. The stitch leg is shorter (3-6 cm) and thicker (up to 5 cm in diameter). It is uneven and often swollen at the base. Sometimes it doesn't exist at all. The morel has a leg about the length of the cap. She is also more slender.
The body of the line is not hollow inside: it is filled with septa and convolutions. On the cut, it is white with a purple tint. The cap and stem of the morel are usually empty inside, and the flesh of the mushroom is white, waxy and fragile.

Left photo: Steppe morel (Latin Morchella steppicola), photo by stergios, CC BY-SA 3.0; photo on the right: giant line (lat.Gyromitra gigas), author of the photo: Vavrin, CC BY-SA 3.0

Another difference between mushrooms lies in the place of growth. The stitching is more common under birches and spruces. Morels should be harvested in willow and alder thickets, in oak groves and aspen groves, but not under trees, but in glades.

By the way, common people often call a false morel (Latin Gyromitra esculenta) (pictured). But his hat is easy to distinguish by the external features described above. Photo by: Koongo940 (Fréderic Coune), CC BY-SA 3.0

Primary processing and preparation

The morel cap belongs to the III category of mushrooms and is conditionally edible. It is used for food only after preliminary cooking (about 20 minutes) with draining of water, or it is dried. Moreover, not less than a month. In general, it can be stewed, boiled, fried.

To remove debris from the folds of the cap, morel caps can be soaked in brackish cold water for several hours before processing, and then rinsed with boiling water.

In some sources, the cap is considered inedible and can cause allergies and poisoning. The fact is that it contains a toxin that is removed during cooking or drying.

The pulp of the morel cap is rich in nutrients and, in terms of their content, is close to the mushrooms of the highest categories. After proper processing, the fruit bodies of the species are even considered delicious. And thanks to the high content of vitamins, the hat will be an excellent addition to the human menu in the spring.

Romantic sarcoscife

Now my dog and I are walking through the forest in the foothills of the Caucasus, in the vicinity of Goryachiy Klyuch. There is a forest behind our house, therefore part of the plot has both garden and undergrowth vegetation. It was there, at the end of February, not far from the flowering cyclamenchiks, remarkably bright red "cups" began to appear. Among the first green leaves in the fallen leaves, they look very touching.

Scarlet sarcoscine (Sarcoscypha coccinea), or Scarlet elf bowl (what a suitable poetic name for a mushroom the size of a two-ruble coin!). An edible mushroom that grows exclusively in ecologically clean places (balm for the soul of the owner of the site). Very similar to the Austrian elf cup, but it grows to the north.

One or the other, or even both at once, are found in early spring almost throughout the country. The difference between the species is seen, as a rule, by specialists; simple mushroom pickers do not pay attention to the shape of the hairs of the outer surface. Moreover, you can only see them under a magnifying glass.

Actually, these mushrooms and grow up to 7 cm, but I did not come across such. And although they are edible, they have a rubbery-cartilaginous structure and no special taste. Stew in sour cream or bake with cheese.

But this mushroom has remarkable decorative qualities. In Europe, in early spring, they make small gift baskets with green moss and sarkoscifs. A good alternative to flowers that are no longer in short supply. It is impossible to confuse sarcoscifa with other mushrooms.

Sarkoscif scarlet, or Scarlet elf bowl (Sarcoscypha coccinea). Claude-Alain Berdoz

Morels and stitches: differences

Many have probably heard of "false morels". This term includes a number of different kinds, including stitching. They are most often mistaken for edible delicacies from the morel genus. As you can see in the photo, it is not easy for an untrained mushroom picker to distinguish lines and morels.

However, the stitches are poisonous and contain the chemical monomethylhydrazine (MMH). This substance causes vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, and sometimes even death. It is believed to be carcinogenic. The harm of lines does not even cause controversy.

How to distinguish lines from morels in order to protect yourself from harm? Most of them appear in spring and summer and grow right on the ground. Their caps, usually brown or reddish-brown, have a wavy or lobed structure and seem to protrude outward. True morels have a more uniform cap with wrinkles or ridges. Visually, it seems that they are bent inward, rather than protruding.

The cap of the line is located free from the stem, in the morel it is attached to it. When the morel is cut from top to bottom, it will be hollow on the inside. The stitching is filled with fine fibers. Thus, with due care, it is possible to distinguish between lines and morels. According to the criterion of benefit and harm, these mushrooms are antipodes to each other, therefore, picking mushrooms must be taken seriously.

Morel poisoning: symptoms and first aid

Old, raw and improperly cooked morels can be poisoned. Symptoms of toxicosis begin to appear approximately 6 hours after eating the mushrooms. First appear:

stomach pain
nausea,
vomiting of bile,
cardiopalmus,
diarrhea,
headache.

Depending on the age and state of health of the affected person, poisoning with morels may be harder or easier to tolerate. Further spread of the poison through the body leads to the destruction of red blood cells and, as a result:

to weakness,
drowsiness
dizziness
blanching of the skin.

If after this help is not provided, then after a day the poison of morels will provoke the destruction of liver cells, damage to the kidneys and urinary tract. There will be discomfort during urination.

The third stage is the effect of toxins on the nervous system:

the poisoned person becomes inadequate,
he has convulsions, hallucinations,
he may fall into a coma.

Mushroom poisoning can last from a day to 2 weeks, depending on the state of the person's immune system. Morels contain a large amount of bilirubin, so poisoning may additionally be accompanied by yellowing of the skin.

There is no antidote against the morel toxin, and it is necessary to remove the poison from the body mechanically. In this case, the following procedures will help:

gastric lavage,
cleansing enemas,
taking activated carbon or other sorbent,
drinking a lot of warm liquid,
and it is imperative to call a doctor to continue the necessary treatment.

Photo by: Dish of morels photo, CC BY-SA 3.0

Description of conditionally edible species of morels

Light, hollow inside, fragrant morels with a characteristic cellular-folded surface belong to the class of petsicomycetes and constitute a separate genus of morels. Let's consider the main conditionally edible species.

Conical

Morel conical (Morchella conica), another name - high morel. Has the following characteristics:

the cap is up to 10 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm in height, distinctly pointed towards the apex (bell-conical). On the cellular surface, dark brown, almost black, vertically oriented projections alternate with depressions of brown tobacco color. In the lower part, it grows together with the leg;
spores are white or creamy;
the leg is hollow, white. It grows up to 10 cm in height, reaches an outer diameter of 5 cm. The surface is uneven, granular or mealy;
the pulp is tender, with a pleasant nutty-mushroom aroma.

Ordinary

Common morel (Morchella esculenta), another name - edible morel. The characteristics characteristic of this species are as follows:

the cap is ovoid, round, conical-bell-shaped, grows to a height of 12 cm and a diameter of 10 cm, hollow inside. Surface with pronounced cells, which are separated from each other by thin partitions. At first it is dark brown, later it brightens due to maturing spores;
spores brown with a tinge of ocher;
the leg is hollow, widened to the base, with a powdery surface, yellowish, creamy, up to 6 cm in diameter, up to 15 cm high. In the upper part, the leg directly fuses with the cap, so there are no plates as such;
the pulp is light, from whitish to light brownish. Has a subtle pleasant smell and taste.

Semi-free

Semi-free morel (Mitrophora semilibera) is a small mushroom, outwardly noticeably different from the conical and common. The specific description is as follows:

the cap is conical, tapers towards the apex, dark, cellular-folded, gray-brown, below it has a pronounced rim separating it from the stem. The lower diameter reaches 2.5 cm, the height is 4 cm;
cream-colored spores;
stem from white to yellowish, gracefully elongated, hollow, with a mealy surface, grows up to 10 cm in height and 2 cm in diameter. At the base, it is thicker;
the pulp is creamy, thin, with a pleasant mushroom smell.

Morel-like mushrooms - what can be confused with

Thanks to the spectacular appearance of morels, their counterparts can be listed on the fingers. Most often, mushrooms are confused with storks and veils.

Morel false

False morel, or stem, is a type of marsupial mushroom. In its raw form, it is deadly poisonous due to the content of gyromitrin, a highly toxic substance.

Outwardly, mushrooms are very similar. The types are distinguished by the structure of the cap. In morels, it is porous, the surface is divided into honeycombs. And their counterparts have a very wrinkled hat.

Remember!

Storchki are very dangerous. Gyromitrins are volatile.Therefore, even the neighborhood in a basket with a stem poses a threat to health.

Veselka

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In contrast to the straw, the vest can be eaten. Moreover, in France, this type of mushroom is considered a real delicacy.

Veselka can be distinguished by the following features:

Dark olive color of the cap.
The surface of the cap is covered with mucus.
Young little ones are like eggs lying on the surface of the earth. And only as they grow older do they take the form of a mushroom.

Veselka is often called the smelly morel. A pungent, rather unpleasant odor emanates from its fruit.

All types of morels are allowed to be eaten. The only condition is that the mushrooms must undergo at least a minimal heat treatment.

Medicinal properties of morels:

Morels are classified as medicinal mushrooms for their property of positively influencing human immunity, strengthening the body. The healing substances and compounds contained in them have a beneficial effect on certain organs and systems. Therefore, specially prepared compositions from this mushroom help with:

various eye diseases;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
deterioration in blood composition;
interruptions in lactation;
a sharp decrease in immunity.

The protein-rich pulp contains a large amount of vitamins B and C, important for health amino acids, melanins. The special medicinal properties of the mushroom are due to the presence of arginine, the FD4 polysaccharide, necessary for human vision. Tincture of common morel is widely used, prepared in different proportions depending on the disease.