Helvella |
| Taxon | Fruiting body | Hymenium/
Abhymenium | Stipe | Microscopic
characters | Ecology | Similar species |
|---|
| Helvella maculata | 50-155 mm tall at
maturity, stipitate, when young margin curved over and obscuring the
hymenium, expanding with age, saddle shaped or irregularly lobed and
slightly wrinkled over the apex of the stalk, margin straight to
flaring | Greyish-brown/Cream colored and densely villose at all
ages | 15-125 x 2-3.5 mm, strongly ribbed | Ascospores:
20-23.5 x 12-14 (-15)um, one large central guttule w/ or w/o several
smaller ones at each end | Solitary, scattered or occasionally
gregarious on soil under conifers, or mixed conifer w/ hardwood, fall
to early winter at low to moderate elevation | H. crispa- ivory
to pale buff over all stages and not developing greyish-brown
discolorations, with slightly smaller ascospores H. lacunosa- hymenium
often darker, ascospores 15-21 x 11-14um |
| Helvella compressa | 20-80 (-130) mm tall at maturity,
stipitate, saddle shaped, margin persistently curved over the hymenial
surface | Dark greyish-brown, even/Ivory to off-white Densely
and persistently villose | 15-120 x 3-10 mm Basically round in
cross section ivory-cream or off-white | Ascospores: 19.5-21 x
12-14um, one large central guttle w/ or w/o several smaller ones at
each end | Solitary to gregarious on soil in mixed conifer, low
to medium elevation | H. elastica- no curvature of the margin,
abhymenium surface glabrous H. stevensii- not known from region,
pale-tan hymenium, less densely villose and slightly smaller
ascospores |
| Helvella elastica | 20-110 mm tall at
maturity, stipitate, saddle shaped, margins recurved and folded one
over the other | light to dark brown, blackish brown at high
elevations, even/Ivory to cream colored, glabrous, even | Ivory
to cream colored or tinged with ocher near base | Ascospores:
18-23 (-24) x 11.5-13.5um, one large central guttle w/ or w/o several
smaller ones at each end | Usually gregarious, on soil, damp
conifer stands, in the fall | H. compressa -margin curved over
to the hymenial surface, densely and persistently villose |
| Helvella crassitunicata | 20-30 mm tall at maturity,
subsessile to short stipitate, bowl-shaped when young spreading
w/age | Brown to greyish-brown/ concolorus w/hymenium at margin,
paler towards base | Base 20 mm long, w/ folded rounded ribs,
ivory to off-white | Ascospores: 23-28 (-30) x 13-15um, one
large central guttle w/ or w/o several smaller ones at each end,
smooth Asci w/ one basal scar (all the above w/two) | Solitary
to gregarious on soil, montane w/ Abies sp., late summer and early
fall | H. leucomeleana -most similar, ascospores 20-23 x
10.5-14, Helvella acetabulum and Helvella griseoalba
-lack distinct sharp edged ribs on abhymenial surface |