Disciotis venosa
Encyclopedia
Disciotis venosa, commonly known as the veiny cup fungus, or the cup morel, is a species of fungus
in the Morchellaceae
family. Fruiting in April and May, they are often difficult to locate because of their nondescript brown color. Found in North America and Europe, they appear to favor banks and slopes and sheltered sites. Although D. venosa is considered edible
, it may resemble several other species of brown cup fungi of unknown edibility.
produced by this fungus are cup- or disc-shaped, up to 20 cm (7.9 in) wide. The interior surface of the cup, the hymenium
, tends to become folded into vein-like markings, hence the specific epithet venosa. The exterior surface is a whitish color, covered with pustules. Although young fruiting bodies are cup-shaped, when they are 7 to 8 cm (2.8 to 3.1 in) in diameter, the apothecia split and flatten down to lie in the soil. They are very brittle. The fruit bodies have been estimated to have a lifespan of up to 12 weeks.
are elliptical and smooth, with dimensions of 21–24 by 12–14 µm
. The asci
(spore-bearing cells), are 370–400 by 18–20 µm, while the paraphyses
are stout and club-shaped, with tips that are up to 12 µm wide.
. Peziza species generally have thinner flesh than D. venosa, and will turn a dark blue color if a drop of iodine
solution is placed on it.
" because fruit bodies typically appear around the edges of melting snowbanks.
Disciotis venosa is found in North America and Europe (including Sweden, Spain, and Wales).
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
in the Morchellaceae
Morchellaceae
The Morchellaceae are a family of ascomycete fungi. According to a standard reference work, the family contains 49 species distributed among 4 genera...
family. Fruiting in April and May, they are often difficult to locate because of their nondescript brown color. Found in North America and Europe, they appear to favor banks and slopes and sheltered sites. Although D. venosa is considered edible
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
, it may resemble several other species of brown cup fungi of unknown edibility.
Description
Fruit bodiesAscocarp
An ascocarp, or ascoma , is the fruiting body of an ascomycete fungus. It consists of very tightly interwoven hyphae and may contain millions of asci, each of which typically contains eight ascospores...
produced by this fungus are cup- or disc-shaped, up to 20 cm (7.9 in) wide. The interior surface of the cup, the hymenium
Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...
, tends to become folded into vein-like markings, hence the specific epithet venosa. The exterior surface is a whitish color, covered with pustules. Although young fruiting bodies are cup-shaped, when they are 7 to 8 cm (2.8 to 3.1 in) in diameter, the apothecia split and flatten down to lie in the soil. They are very brittle. The fruit bodies have been estimated to have a lifespan of up to 12 weeks.
Microscopic characteristics
The sporeAscospore
An ascospore is a spore contained in an ascus or that was produced inside an ascus. This kind of spore is specific to fungi classified as ascomycetes ....
are elliptical and smooth, with dimensions of 21–24 by 12–14 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. The asci
Ascus
An ascus is the sexual spore-bearing cell produced in ascomycete fungi. On average, asci normally contain eight ascospores, produced by a meiotic cell division followed, in most species, by a mitotic cell division. However, asci in some genera or species can number one , two, four, or multiples...
(spore-bearing cells), are 370–400 by 18–20 µm, while the paraphyses
Paraphyses
Paraphyses are part of the fertile spore-bearing layer in certain fungi. More specifically, paraphyses are sterile filamentous hyphal end cells composing part of the hymenium of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota interspersed among either the asci or basidia respectively, and not sufficiently...
are stout and club-shaped, with tips that are up to 12 µm wide.
Edibility
Disciotis venosa is edible, and choice, although one author notes that only collectors who have the equipment to check its microscopic characters should consider consuming the species, as it may be confused with several other brown cup fungi.Similar species
Species that may resemble Disciotis venosa include the "thick cup", species Discina perlata (also edible), as well as several species of PezizaPeziza
Peziza is a large genus of saprophytic cup fungi that grow on the ground, rotting wood, or dung. Most members of this genus are of unknown edibility and are difficult to identify as separate species without use of microscopy...
. Peziza species generally have thinner flesh than D. venosa, and will turn a dark blue color if a drop of iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
solution is placed on it.
Habitat and distribution
This fungus is typically found growing on the ground among mossy or needle-covered soil among conifers; they are often difficult to notice because their brown color typically blends into the background. They have been noted to prefer to grow on banks or slopes rather than flat areas. This species is also referred to as a "snowbank mushroomSnowbank fungus
A snowbank fungus is any one of a number of diverse species of fungi that occur adjacent to or within melting snow. They are most commonly found in the mountains of western North America where a deep snowpack accumulates during the winter and slowly melts through the spring and summer, often...
" because fruit bodies typically appear around the edges of melting snowbanks.
Disciotis venosa is found in North America and Europe (including Sweden, Spain, and Wales).
External links
- Disciotis venosa at Index FungorumIndex FungorumIndex Fungorum, an international project to index all formal names in the Fungi Kingdom. Somewhat comparable to the IPNI, but with more contributing institutions....