True morel or False morel
Morchella species · Gyromitra esculenta and relatives
Gyromitrin, which the body converts to monomethylhydrazine
Vomiting and vertigo after several hours, and in serious cases liver damage, haemolysis and death. The toxin is volatile and cumulative, so people who ate it for years without trouble are still poisoned by it. Cooking reduces but does not reliably remove it, and the vapour alone has hospitalised cooks.
Check in this order
Most decisive first
| Feature | True morel | False morel |
|---|---|---|
| 01Cut it lengthwise | Completely hollow from cap to stem base. One continuous empty chamber. | Stuffed with cottony fibres, or divided into irregular chambers. Never one clean hollow. |
| 02Cap surface | Pitted and ridged, like a honeycomb or sponge. | Wrinkled, lobed and folded, like a brain or a saddle. |
| 03Cap attachment | Attached to the stem at the bottom edge of the cap in true morels. | Hangs free, attached only at the top, skirt-like. |
Where people go wrong
Believing preparation makes it safe. There is a long tradition of eating parboiled Gyromitra, and it is a tradition of people gambling with a volatile carcinogen.
The specimen sheets
This page tells you what to check. It does not tell you the mushroom in your hand is safe, and it cannot. If you are not certain, do not eat it, and if you have already eaten something and feel unwell, contact a poison centre immediately and keep an uncooked specimen for identification.
Other pairs