The Morel Group is an artificial collection of mushrooms that includes the true morels, as well as other genera of mushrooms that have similarities to morels. Beginners can learn to identify morels fairly quickly when paying attention to a few key characteristics including pockets on the cap, hollow throughout, and a cap that is entirely fused to the stem.
The mushroom most likely to be confused with morels in the Pacific Northwest is Verpa bohemica. The key differentiating characteristics between true morels and Verpas are:
- Verpas typically have a cottony pith inside the stem. They are not hollow
- The cap of Verpa bohemica sits on top of the stem like a thimble. It is not entirely fused to the stem
Morels
Pockets, hollow, cap fully fused to stem
Verpa bohemica
Wrinkled Thimble Cap
Helvella
Elfin Saddles
Gyromitra
Brain Mushrooms
