Morchella semilibera

Description

Morchella semilibera is an edible species of fungus in the family Morchellaceae native to Europe and Asia. The conical brownish cap appears to sit as if placed on top of a sturdy cream-colored stem. The lower part of the cap is not attached to the stem as it is in the Common Morel, hence the name ‘Semi-free Morel’.

This morels decompose dead or dying organic matter. The cap is honeycomb-like with brownish-black ridges and yellowish pits. The bottom half of the cap hangs free from the whitish stalk that is completely hollow.

It is a very variable species, and specimens with a large head could easily be mistaken for Morchella elata. However, cutting the fungus in half will show that the lower part of the cap is free from the stem, hence the name.

Not as good a find as a true Morel, but a tasty find none the less. Must be cooked before consumption.

In 2012, Morchella populiphila was described from western North America, while Peck's 1903 species name Morchella punctipes was reaffirmed for eastern North American half-free morels. M. semilibera and the other half-free morels are closely related to the black morels (M. elata and others).

Common names: Half-Free Morel.

Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   20-50 mm high, 28-45 mm in diameter. Conical and hollow with a random honeycomb effect where the background is brown and the ridges dark to black. The cap edge hangs free from about halfway down, hence semi-free, unlike other Morels where the cap edge joins the stem.

2. Stem

   40-90 mm high, 20-40 mm thick. White to off white, hollow through to the cap and usually with wide striations running vertically. Whitish in young fruiting bodies, then creamy or yellowish. It has whitish small scales that cover the entire surface.

3. Flesh

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

4. Habitat

   Damp woodland and copses.

5. Spore Print

   Cream to pale yellow.

Morchella semilibera Possible Confusion

The false morel, Gyromitra esculenta, but this is more lobed or brain-like rather than pitted and honeycomb like cap of the morel.

Synonyms

1. Mitrophora semilibera (DC.) Lév., Annls Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3 5: 249 (1846) f. semilibera

2. Morilla semilibera (DC.) Quél., Enchir. fung. (Paris): 271 (1886)

3. Morchella patula var. semilibera (DC.) S. Imai, Sci. Rep. Yokohama Natl. Univ., Sect. 2 3: 15 (1954)

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Bojanicka (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 2 - Author: Abaddon1337 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: JanB46 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: Cros jean pierre (Public Domain)