False Morel vs Common Morel
Gyromitra esculenta and Morchella esculenta are confused for one another often enough to be worth putting next to each other.
Brain-like and deceptively named 'esculenta'. Contains gyromitrin, which the body converts to a rocket-fuel compound. Deaths still occur.
Prized spring edible with a honeycomb cap, hollow from tip to base. Must be cooked thoroughly — never eat raw.
Side by side
| Gyromitra esculenta | Morchella esculenta | |
|---|---|---|
| In this game | Poisonous | Edible |
| Habitat | Sandy soil under conifers, often on disturbed ground and old burn sites. | Chalky soil in open woodland, hedgerows, orchards and disturbed ground. |
| Season | Spring. | Spring. |
| Spore print | Cream. | Cream. |
This comparison cannot make a mushroom safe to eat. It sets out the few characteristics this game records, in general terms, for two species that vary by region, age and growing conditions. Real specimens overlap in ways no table and no photograph can separate, and the deadly one here is deadly in a single meal. Ask a qualified local expert, every time.
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Gyromitra esculenta is also confused with Black Morel.
Morchella esculenta is also confused with Black Morel.
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