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False morel

Gyromitra esculenta · False morels (Discinaceae)

Deadly poisonous
False morel
📷 Kruczy89, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Deadly poisonous. The toxin is also released when cooking – even the fumes can be harmful. Once traded as edible; that is outdated.

Recognise it safely – what matters

  1. Cap brain-like and convoluted, no honeycomb
  2. Cut lengthwise: several chambers (morel: one single continuous hollow)
  3. Spring, coniferous forest, sandy soil

Features

Cap
3–10 cm, brown to reddish brown, irregularly brain-like and convoluted – without the honeycomb pits of a morel.
Underside
No gills or tubes; inside, the cap is divided into several chambers.
Stem
Whitish, short, irregularly furrowed, chambered inside.
Flesh
Waxy, brittle.
Smell
Slightly spicy
Spore print
Whitish

Season

Habitat

Coniferous forests on sandy soils, especially near pine, often on clearings, by paths and near timber stacks.

Fyr, Rødgran

Risk of confusion

Almindelig spidsmusling Edible species Morels have a honeycomb cap with pits and are one single hollow inside – false morels are convoluted and chambered. When in doubt, cut lengthwise.

If someone has eaten it

Vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, weakness; later damage to the liver, kidneys and nervous system. First symptoms: usually 6–12 hours after eating.

Act immediately – even without symptoms:

  • Emergency number 112 if someone feels unwell.
  • Poison centre: Germany – area code of the nearest city with a poison centre + 19240 (e.g. Berlin 030 19240, Munich 089 19240) · Austria +43 1 406 43 43 · Switzerland 145.
  • Keep leftovers, trimmings or vomit – it helps with identification.

Never identify mushrooms by pictures or an app alone. When in doubt, ask a mushroom expert – and only pick what you know for sure.

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