Helvella leucomelaena
Encyclopedia
Helvella leucomelaena, commonly known as the "white-footed elf cup", is a species of fungi in the Helvellaceae
family, Pezizales
order. As its common name implies, it is characterized by the white coloring of its stem.
of the fruiting body is up to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) broad. The outer surface of the cap is blackish-brown near the top, with the color turning to white as it near the stem; the inner surface of the cup is blackish. The stem
can be up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long by 0.5 centimetre (0.196850393700787 in) thick.
, Alaska
, and the Rocky Mountains
. It has also been found in South America and Europe. It typically grows in coniferous forests, and the white stipe may be hidden or obscured by leaves or may be partially buried in the soil.
family contain the toxin gyromitrin
.
Helvellaceae
The Helvellaceae are a family of ascomycete fungi, the best known members of which are the elfin saddles of the genus Helvella. Originally erected by Elias Magnus Fries in 1823 as Elvellacei, it contained many genera...
family, Pezizales
Pezizales
The Pezizales are an order of the subphylum Pezizomycotina within the phylum Ascomycota. The order contains 16 families, 199 genera, and 1683 species. It contains a number of species of economic importance, such as morels, the black and white truffles, and the desert truffles. The Pezizales are...
order. As its common name implies, it is characterized by the white coloring of its stem.
Description
The deeply cup-shaped capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
of the fruiting body is up to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) broad. The outer surface of the cap is blackish-brown near the top, with the color turning to white as it near the stem; the inner surface of the cup is blackish. The stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
can be up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long by 0.5 centimetre (0.196850393700787 in) thick.
Distribution
In North America, this fungus is rare, but it has been collected in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. It has also been found in South America and Europe. It typically grows in coniferous forests, and the white stipe may be hidden or obscured by leaves or may be partially buried in the soil.
Edibility
Consumption of this fungus is not recommended as similar species in the HelvellaceaeHelvellaceae
The Helvellaceae are a family of ascomycete fungi, the best known members of which are the elfin saddles of the genus Helvella. Originally erected by Elias Magnus Fries in 1823 as Elvellacei, it contained many genera...
family contain the toxin gyromitrin
Gyromitrin
Gyromitrin is a toxin and carcinogen present in several members of the fungal genus Gyromitra, most notably the false morel G. esculenta. It is unstable and is easily hydrolyzed to the toxic compound monomethylhydrazine, a component of some rocket fuels. Monomethylhydrazine acts on the central...
.