Verpa

Verpa is a genus of ascomycete fungi related to the morels. Resembling the latter genus in edibility and form, the common name early morels is popular. There are five species in the widespread genus.[2]

Verpa
V. conica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Fungi
Division:
Ascomycota
Class:
Ascomycetes
Order:
Pezizales
Family:
Morchellaceae
Genus:
Verpa

Sw. (1815)
Type species
Verpa conica
(O.F.Müll.) Sw. (1815)
Synonyms[1]

Monka Adans. (1763)
Relhanum Gray (1821)

Verpa comes from the Latin for erection or little rod. Edibility of Verpa is the same as for Morchella, and are safe if cooked. Gyromitra, by contrast has a couple of dangerously toxic species being Gyromitra esculenta and Gyromitra ambigua.

Analysis of the ribosomal DNA of many of the Pezizales showed the genus Verpa to be closely related to the genus Morchella, and also Disciotis. Thus the three genera are now included in the family Morchellaceae.[3]

Species

Species include:

Edible if cooked. Found in North America, in early spring, April–May in damp places, under poplar[4]
Edible if cooked. Found in North America, in orchards, in eastern Canada.
  • Verpa digitaliformis
  • Verpa krombholzii
  • Verpa speciosa

See also

References
  1. "Verpa Sw. 1814". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
  2. Kirk PM, Cannon PF, Minter DW, Stalpers JA (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi (10th ed.). Wallingford, UK: CABI. p. 723. ISBN 978-0-85199-826-8.
  3. O'Donnell K, Cigelnik E, Weber NS, Trappe JM (1997). "Phylogenetic relationships among ascomycetous truffles and the true and false morels inferred from 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis". Mycologia. 89 (1): 48–65. doi:10.2307/3761172. JSTOR 3761172.
  4. Barnard, Edward S., ed. (1998). "Mushrooms". Reader's Digest North American Wildlife: Trees and Nonflowering Plants. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 268. ISBN 0-7621-0037-0.

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