Hypomyces lactifluorum, or the lobster mushroom, is a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on certain species of mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. Contrary to its common name, the species itself is neither a mushroom nor a crustacean.
Hypomyces is a genus of parasitic ascomycete fungi found in Europe, North America, Australia, and parts of China. The genus contains 53 species. Better known species include the lobster mushroom and the bolete eater.
Discina gigas, commonly known as the snow mushroom, snowbank false morel, walnut, giants false morel, snow morel, snow false morel, calf brain, or bull nose, is a species of fungus and a member of the Ascomycota found in Europe. It is referred to as one of the false morels, due to its similar appearance and occurrence in the spring and early summer in similar habitats to true morels.
Panaeolus semiovatus var. semiovatus, also known as Panaeolus semiovatus and Anellaria separata, and commonly known as the shiny mottlegill, ringed panaeolus, common fungus of the feces variety, or egghead mottlegill, is a medium-sized buff-colored mushroom that grows on horse dung, and has black spores. Though nonpoisonous, it is generally regarded as inedible and possessing a rather abysmal taste, and a few people experience gastric upset after consumption.
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.
Helvella is a genus of ascomycete fungus of the family Helvellaceae. The mushrooms, commonly known as elfin saddles, are identified by their irregularly shaped caps, fluted stems, and fuzzy undersurfaces. They are found in North America and in Europe. Well known species include the whitish H. crispa and the grey H. lacunosa. They have been reported to cause gastrointestinal symptoms when eaten raw.
The common name elfin saddle is given to a number of Ascomycete fungi in the order Pezizales. These medium to small fungi often have irregular saddle-shaped caps. Species include:
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.
Lactarius rufus is a common, medium-sized member of the mushroom genus Lactarius, whose many members are commonly known as milkcaps. Known by the common name of the rufous milkcap, or the red hot milk cap in North America. It is dark brick red in color, and grows with pine or birch trees.
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 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.
Helvella atra, commonly known as the dark elfin saddle, is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae of the order Pezizales.
Hericium abietis, commonly known as the bear's head, conifer coral hericium, or western coral hedgehog, is an edible mushroom in the tooth fungus group. It grows on conifer stumps or logs in North America, producing a cream white fruit body up to 10–75 cm (4–30 in) tall and wide. It fruits from after the start of the fall rains to mid-season.
Phellodon tomentosus, commonly known as the zoned phellodon or zoned cork hydnum, is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. First described as Hydnum tomentosum by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, it was transferred to the genus Phellodon by Howard James Banker in 1906. It is found in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Helvella vespertina is a species of fungus in the family Helvellaceae.
Hypomyces cervinigenus is a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on elfin saddle (Helvella) mushrooms in Europe and North America.
Cortinarius evernius is an inedible fungus in the family Cortinariaceae. Cortinarius evernius is grayish brown or grayish purple. The cap is convex and it has remnants of the membrane. The stipe is grayish purple and it has remnants of the membrane in a zig-zag pattern. The gills are greyish purple in the beginning, then brownish. The mushroom grows in coniferous forests for example, near swamps.
Polyporus tuberaster, commonly known as the tuberous polypore or stone fungus, is a species of fungus in the genus Polyporus. It is easily identified by the fact that it grows from a large sclerotium that can resemble buried wood or a potato.
Leucoagaricus barssii, commonly known as the smoky dapperling, or gray parasol, is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae.
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.
H. crispa in Dorset, England
1932 illustration
