Elfin Saddle

Habitat

This mushroom grows on soil in broad-leaved, coniferous, or mixed forests. It occurs individually, in small groups, or in tufted clusters, often appearing on burnt ground or amongst moss in boggy, wet areas.

Photos

Appearance

Fruit body

Consists of a distinct cap and stem, growing solitarily or in small clusters on soil or moss.

Cap

Measuring 1.5 to 5 cm high, the cap is irregularly saddle-shaped or convoluted with multiple lobes. The surface is smooth to wrinkled, colored dark gray, brownish, or blackish, while the underside is paler gray and ribbed. The cap margin is often fused to the stem.

Stem

Measuring 2 to 10 cm long and 1 to 2 cm thick, the stem is stout and tapers toward the top. It is white, cream, or pale gray and characterized by deep longitudinal grooves, furrows, and internal hollow chambers.

Spore print

Colorless or white.

Edibility

This mushroom is similar in appearance to Helvella crispa, which features a white cap, and Helvella elastica, which has a smooth stem. Other similar species include Helvella pezizoides, distinguished by a fuzzy underside, and several West Coast cryptic species like H. vespertina and H. dryophila.

Nutrient Source

It obtains nutrients by forming a symbiotic relationship with tree roots, exchanging nutrients with the tree in return for sugars.

Common Names

Danish

Grubet foldhat

Dutch

Zwarte kluifzwam

English

Elfin Saddle

Finnish

mustamörsky

French

Helvelle lacuneuse

German

Grubenlorchel

Norwegian Bokmål

narrehøstmorkel, mørk høstmorkel, blek høstmorkel

Norwegian Nynorsk

mørk haustmorkel

Welsh

Coesyn Rhychog Du

Synonyms

• Boletus leucophaeus
• Costapeda lacunosa
• Helvella cinerea
• Helvella costata
• Helvella leucophaea
• Helvella manacella
• Helvella mitra
• Helvella monacella
• Helvella pallescens
• Helvella subcostata
• Helvella sulcata
• Krombholziella leucophaea
• Lachnea leucophaea
• Phallus brunneus