View A43-1112-1979-eng.pdf

EDIBLE AND POISONOUS MUSHROOMS OF CANADA
was reported by Dearness (191 1) in which a family ate part of a collection of
Gyromitra at one meal with no ill effects, but when they ate the rest of the
collection the next day severe poisoning developed and one member of the
family died. This suggests that the poison may have been produced on
ageing or partial decay of the fungus. Nevertheless any fungus known to have
such deadly potentialities cannot be recommended as food.
G. gigas (Krombh.) Cke. is another species that occurs in the spring. It
may occur on the ground or on rotten wood and has been collected on a
birch stump. It is brighter yellow than G. esculenta and tends to grow in
clusters with the stipes irregularly fused and grown together. It can easily be
distinguished microscopically by the spores, which have a small apiculus on
each end.
GYROMITRA INFULA (Schaeff. ex Fr.) Quel. Dangerous
Figure 380, page 281 ; Figure 430, page 306
PILEUS 1-3 in. broad, usually more or less saddle-shaped but sometimes
irregular, surface usually smooth to sHghtly wrinkled and convoluted, usually
some shade of tan to brownish cinnamon, the margin partly free, stipe %-
2]4 in. long, |4-% ii^- thick, whitish or tinged the color of the pileus, finely
floccose, cylindric to compressed or with irregular furrows, hollow, asci
cylindric, eight-spored, 225-300 X 10-14 }x. ascospores ellipsoid, one-celled,
smooth, 16-18 (21) X 7-9 /x-
Oct.
Singly or gregarious on or in close association with rotten wood. Sept.-
For a discussion of this species see Gyromitra esculenta. Its edible quali-
ties appear to be uncertain but it is regarded as dangerous and is not recom-
mended.
HELVELLA CRISPA (Scop.) Fr. Edible
Figure 409, page 294
PILEUS about Yi-l in. broad, saddle-shaped to irregularly lobed, reflexed,
margin free from the stipe, whitish or cream colored to buff or yellowish,
smooth to sHghtly convoluted, stipe %-2j^ in. long, y^-\ in. thick, white or
colored Hke the pileus, very uneven and deeply fluted with longitudinal fur-
rows. ASCI cyHndric, eight-spored, 225-300 X 14-18 /x. ascospores one-celled,
ellipsoid, smooth, (16) 18-20 (22.5) X 10-13 /z.
Usually gregarious on the ground in damp woods. Aug.-Oct.
The pale colors and deeply fluted stipe are the chief distinguishing charac-
ters of this species. H. lacunosa Afz. ex Fr. is similar in shape and stature but
the pileus is smoky gray to nearly black. The stipe is also deeply fluted and
usually paler than the pileus but becoming smoky gray.
260