Polyporus is a genus of poroid fungi in the family Polyporaceae.
Helvella crispa, also known as the fluted white elfin saddle, white saddle, elfin saddle or common helvel, is an ascomycete fungus of the family Helvellaceae. The mushroom is readily identified by its irregularly shaped whitish cap, fluted stem, and fuzzy undersurfaces. It is found in eastern North America and in Europe, near deciduous trees in summer and autumn.
Paragyromitra infula, commonly known as the hooded false morel or the elfin saddle, is a species of fungus in the family Discinaceae. The dark reddish-brown caps of the fruit bodies develop a characteristic saddle-shape in maturity, and the ends of both saddle lobes are drawn out to sharp tips that project above the level of the fruit body. The stipe is white or flushed pale brown, smooth on the outside, but hollow with some chambers inside.
Lichenomphalia is both a basidiolichen and an agaric genus. Most of the species have inconspicuous lichenized thalli that consist of scattered, small, loose, nearly microscopic green balls or foliose small flakes containing single-celled green algae in the genus Coccomyxa, all interconnected by a loose network of hyphae. The agaric fruit bodies themselves are nonlichenized and resemble other types of omphalinoid mushrooms. These agarics lack clamp connections and do not form hymenial cystidia. The basidiospores are hyaline, smooth, thin-walled, and nonamyloid. Most of the species were originally classified in the genera Omphalina or Gerronema. Historically the species were classified with those other genera in the family, the Tricholomataceae together with the nonlichenized species. Lichenomphalia species can be grouped into brightly colored taxa, with vivid yellow and orange colors, versus the grey brown group, depending upon the microscopic pigmentation deposits. Molecular research comparing DNA sequences now place Lichenomphalia close to the redefined genus Arrhenia, which together with several other genera not traditionally considered to be related, fall within the newly redefined Hygrophoraceae.
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. Several of these, such as Gyromitra and Discina, have been found to be more distantly related in a molecular study of ribosomal DNA by mycologist Kerry O'Donnell in 1997, leaving a much smaller core clade now redefined as Helvellaceae. Instead, this narrowly defined group is most closely related to the true truffles of the Tuberaceae. Although the Dictionary of the Fungi considered the Helvellaceae to contain six genera and 63 species, genetic analysis has shown that Leucangium, previously classified in this family, is more closely related to the Morchellaceae.
Helvella lacunosa, known as the slate grey saddle or fluted black elfin saddle in North America, simply as the elfin saddle in Britain, is an ascomycete fungus of the family Helvellaceae. It is one of the most common species in the genus Helvella. The mushroom is readily identified by its irregularly shaped grey cap, fluted stem, and fuzzy undersurfaces. It is usually found in Eastern North America and in Europe, near deciduous and coniferous trees in summer and autumn.
Bovista is a genus of fungi commonly known as the true puffballs. It was formerly classified within the now-obsolete order Lycoperdales, which, following a restructuring of fungal taxonomy brought about by molecular phylogeny, has been split; the species of Bovista are now placed in the family Agaricaceae of the order Agaricales. Bovista species have a collectively widespread distribution, and are found largely in temperate regions of the world. Various species have historically been used in homeopathic preparations.
Helvella acetabulum is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae, order Pezizales. This relatively large cup-shaped fungus is characterized by a tan fruit body with prominent branching ribs resembling a cabbage leaf; for this reason it is commonly known as the cabbage leaf Helvella. Other colloquial names include the vinegar cup and the brown ribbed elfin cup. The fruit bodies reaches dimensions of 8 centimetres (3 in) by 4 cm tall. It is found in Eurasia and North America, where it grows in sandy soils, under both coniferous and deciduous trees.
Helvella corium is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae of the order Pezizales. This inedible cup-shaped fungus is black, and grows on the ground often near willows in deciduous or mixed forests.
Helvella elastica, commonly known as the flexible Helvella or the elastic saddle, is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae of the order Pezizales. It is found in Asia, Europe, and North America. It has a roughly saddle-shaped yellow-brown cap atop a whitish stipe, and grows on soil in woods. Another colloquial name is the brown elfin saddle.
Dissingia leucomelaena, commonly known as the white-footed elf cup, is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae of the order Pezizales. As its common name implies, it is characterized by the white coloring of its stem.
Helvella solitaria is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae. Originally described as Peziza solitaria by Petter Karsten in 1869, he transferred it to the genus Helvella in 1871. The fungus has a boreal and temperate distribution.
Helvella atra, commonly known as the dark elfin saddle, is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae of the order Pezizales.
Tomentella is a genus of corticioid fungi in the family Thelephoraceae. The genus is ectomycorrhizal, and widespread, with about 80 species according to a 2008 estimate, although many new species have since been described. Tomentella was circumscribed by French mycologist Narcisse Théophile Patouillard in 1887.
Clavaria is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species of Clavaria produce basidiocarps that are either cylindrical to club-shaped or branched and coral-like. They are often grouped with similar-looking species from other genera, when they are collectively known as the clavarioid fungi. All Clavaria species are terrestrial and most are believed to be saprotrophic. In Europe, they are typical of old, mossy, unimproved grassland. In North America and elsewhere, they are more commonly found in woodlands.
Helvella vespertina is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae.
Helvella dryophila is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae. It is found in western North America, where it associates with oak.
Hypomyces cervinigenus is a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on elfin saddle (Helvella) mushrooms in Europe and North America.
Helvella semiobruta is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae. Originally found in the country of France, it was described as new to science in 1976. It has also been collected in Greece, and Cyprus, where it grows in maquis shrubland.
Helvella compressa, also known as the compressed elfin saddle, is a species of ascomycete "sac fungus" related to the Peziza cups. Helvella compressa is endemic to North America west of the Rocky Mountains. According to David Arora, H. compressa "seems to be the most common" of the non-fluted Helvellas found in California. Helvella compressa is possibly also present in China and Tibet.
