Most interesting find of the week, in fact, probably of the year so far, was this guy:
This, I believe, is Gyromitra korfii, considered a good edible, in contrast to a close look-alike, Gyromitra esculenta, which is toxic. The main differences are the thickness of the stem and the color. Korfii is more squat and has a more robust/stout stem and a lighter color.
The Gyromitras are an interesting group. They are just similar enough to morels to be potentially confusing, hence the common names “Snow Morel” for G. korfii and “False Morel” for G. esculenta. Other names I like include, the “bullnose mushroom,” and “calf-brain mushroom.” The name Gyromitras comes from roots meaning “convoluted turban.”1
Some species in the genus are highly poisonous when raw, because of the toxin gyromitrin.2 G. korfii is suspected to have slight levels of gryomitrin, “roughly 1500 fold less compared to esculenta” according to wikipedia. This depends also on whether or not you consider G. gigas (the European equivalent) and G. korfii to be the same thing, which is a whole controversy in itself. There is also a high degree of variability according to geographical region, and even according to altitude.
But regardless of whether or not you want to eat this mushroom, it’s a nice find.
recycled paper clips 