Morchella conica (elata)

    The Black Morel is our commonest Morchella species in the Southwest. Generally one finds this mushroom in coniferous forest areas from cottonwood/juniper locations through mixed conifer forest into the spruce-fir in the highest mountains. From the latter portion of May into early August, one can find this species in sparse fruiting to thick fruitings. Like all morels this one is tough to spot. The dark color causes the fruit bodies to be almost invisible and only the most intense searching will produce results.
    I have found that Black Morels seem to prefer extremely dense Spruce forests in our area, in fact so dense that one has to go down on hands and knees to really see them. In the spring Black Morels begin to fruit at middle elevations, often near streams, first back of the debris line from past years flooding. As the season progresses, they appear higher in the mountains, often along streams or where heavy debris accumulates along with heavy moisture. Fruitings in mid summer are in particular found in such dense Spruce areas.
    Morels are not at all a certain thing here in New Mexico and some years none seemingly appear at all. Late spring rains are the best indicator of a good season along with a previous winter of considerable snowfall. The records of other morels in New Mexico are even less frequent. The common morel, Morchella esculenta, is mostly a cottonwood, streamside species, restricted to late spring fruitings. Its tan to straw colored SHEDEC are distinctive.
    I have also found specimens of what appears to Morchella crassipes. This species is more frequently connected with hardwoods and again can be found near streams. This morel is considerably larger than Morchella esculenta, but similarly colored. M. crassipes may simply be an exuberant form of the Morchella esculenta but one has few opportunities to collect much data on these two species in our area. Lastly, Morchella deliciosa was collected by Chuck Barrows in the Santa Fe Ski Basin rarely. It is more diminutive than Morchella conica with the cap more elongated and the edges of the tubes somewhat rounded. We have little information on this species.
    A number of other Morels have been reported FROM the west, but their status remains unclear. I suspect that there is some genetic basis to a number of the variants found from time to time but we need better experimental information. I have very occasionally found the European Morchella hortensii in flower beds, several times in southern Oregon, and once in Santa Fe.
    The edibility of the morel needs no introduction. It is amongst the best of the best of edible fungi. Apparently certain people are allergic to it and one always ought to follow the rule of eating sparsely of any new fungus until you are certain of your tolerance for it. Dried morels are as good as fresh ones and my parents dried many parts of morels over the years and stored them in Mason jars for the off season. Collectors always remember that it is no sin to leave a few sporocarps in the woods instead of taking them all. Better that we practice conservation now than be forced into "collection limits" (as in fishing and hunting) in the future.

Bill Isaacs
1997-01-04

Notes:
• The species Bill Isaacs describes is probably what we now call Morchella brunnea.
• Learn more about M.brunnea at MushroomExpert.Com.