| Helvella compressa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Baja California, Mexico, 2019 | |
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| Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, 2017 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Pezizomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Helvellaceae |
| Genus: | Helvella |
| Species: | H. compressa |
| Binomial name | |
| Helvella compressa | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Helvella compressa, also known as the compressed elfin saddle, is a species of ascomycete "sac fungus" related to the Peziza cups.
The distinctive fruiting body looks roughly like a fortune cookie on a stick. The brownish cap is up to 5 centimetres (2 in) in diameter. The pale stalk is up to 10 cm long and 1.2 cm thick. [2]
The species can only be confused with Helvella albella , which is rarer, and has a darker brown cap and a smooth underside (rather than H. compressa's "faintly" fuzzy underside) and H. elastica , which is smaller, with "rounder lobes". [3] H. compressa can be distinguished from H. atra by its coloration. [2]
Helvella compressa is genetically closely related to H. stevensii , H. corbierei , [4] : 114 and H. levis (synonym of Helvella latispora ). [4] : 149 H. levis is more common in Europe and the Danish call it Bredsporet foldhat ("wide-brimmed hat"). [5] [6] Helvella stevensii is smaller and paler than H. compressa. [2]
Helvella compressa is endemic to North America west of the Rocky Mountains. [5] : 49 According to David Arora, H. compressa "seems to be the most common" of the non-fluted Helvellas found in California. [2] Helvella compressa is possibly also present in China and Tibet. [4] : 148
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