Plant Guide > Mushrooms > Helvellaceae

Helvellaceae

FAMILY HELVELLACEAE

MORELS

A second family Helvellaceae, contains three important genera, Morchella, Gyromitra, and Helvella, in which are the largest and most highly prized spore-sac fungi known. They are distinguished from the earth-tongues by the cap-like form of the spore body or ascoma, but especially by the character of the spore-sac, which opens by a little lid instead of by a simple pore.