Introduction The Discinaceae demonstrates that family naming rules do not follow the same rules as genera naming rules. Even if you don't acknowledge Discina as a valid genus anymore, the family still gets to be called the Discinaceae instead of the Gyromitraceae because that was the original name for the family. A genus going away does not alter the family name. However, controversially, Gyromitra has been split into 10 genera (Discina, Gyromitra, Hydnotrya, Maublancomyces, Neogyromitra, Paragyromitra, Piscidiscina, Pseudodiscina, Pseudorhizina, and Pseudoverpa). It is controversial because to figure out what genus you have, you not only have to look at the spores, but you have to look at the ornamentation on the fully mature spores that have already been ejected. To me, this seems too subtle a way to distinguish genera. The choice to treat them all as Gyromitra is also controversial because the genus contains false morels, cups, and truffles as well as both toxic and nontoxic species. Alden Dirks has been instrumental in sorting out our local Gyromitra mysteries. He has confirmed that Gyromitra s.s., the Gyromitra esculenta group, does contain the toxin gyromitrin, which is metabolized by your body into rocket fuel (monomethylhydrazine). However, Paragyromitra, the Gyromitra infula group, does not appear to contain this toxin. That group has long been thought to also be toxic. Most alarmingly, Piscidiscina, the Gyromitra leucoxantha group of cup fungi, does contain gyromitrin. So those who eat Discina, the Gyromitra ancilis group, thinking that its lookalikes are all similarly non-toxic should be aware of this. abundant common uncommon rare - colour codes match my Pictorial Key and are my opinions and probably reflect my bias of living in W WA. Rare species may be locally common in certain places at certain times.

False Morels - click to expand These are mostly in one clade, except for Maublancomyces (Gyromitra montana), which lives in the clade of cups. Some (Gyromitra s.s.) in the G. esculenta group contains the toxin gyromitrin. Interestingly, Paragyromitra, which is the G. infula group, does not appear to. Species mentioned: Gyromitra esculenta, splendida, venenata. Maublancomyces montanus. Paragyromitra ambigua, infula, columbiana. Pseudorhizina californica, sphaerospora. Pseudoverpa anthracobia.   Gyromitra splendida EU (Gyromitra esculenta EU misapplied) - with a dark orange-brown brain-like head and a somewhat thin pale orange-brown stem. Spring. It is potentially fatal, as it contains gyromitrin. DNA studies show that our abundant species is better referred to as G. splendida instead of G. esculenta, although they are very close relatives. The differences are quite subtle. It is occasionally found in albino form. Gyromitra venenata China - also in spring, also toxic, and difficult to differentiate from G. splendida. In fact, it took DNA sequencing to notice that this species occurs here too, but not nearly as often. Gyromitra anthracobia Cyprus (=Pseudoverpa anthracobia EU) - this rare lookalike was recently discovered through DNA in OR in spring. It is now in its own genus, and therefore lacks the toxin gyromitin. Although it looks less folded in the photo below, it has been found looking much like the previous two species. I don't know how to distinguish it. Our ITS is 4 bp different than the type sequence, so we are going back and forth on whether ours is a distinct species or not. For now, I'm assuming it isn't. Gyromitra montana WY (=Maublancomyces montanus WY) - has a medium orange-brown brain-like head and a thicker stem. Also found in spring. Gyromitra 'californica PNW01' (=Pseudorhizina californica CA misapplied) - has a fluted stem with pinkish/purplish tones. So far all PNW collections have slightly different ITS than the CA type sequence and may represent a distinct species. We should also look out for the real Gyromitra californica CA as well as the east coast species Gyromitra sphaerospora NY to see if they might occur here. The latter's DNA was found in a soil sample in western Canada. Gyromitra splendida © Eric Chandler,     G. venenata © Drew Henderson,     G. anthracobia © Bee Marcotte     G. montana © iNaturalist user g2bythesea,     G. 'californica PNW01'  © Danka Michalik   Gyromitra infula EU (=Paragyromitra infula EU) - with a roughly saddle-shaped cap (with 2 prominent prongs), like many Helvella, but beefier and more irregularly shaped. Gyromitra ambigua EU (=Paragyromitra ambigua EU) - difficult to differentiate, even microscopically it has been confused with G. infula. Supposedly it is smaller and darker with some violaceous tones, but that doesn't always bear out. Gyromitra 'ambigua PNW06' - an unnamed third species in the group, it it not yet known how to differentiate it. It is not uncommon in CA, but only found once so far in the PNW (in WA). Gyromitra columbiana BC - known only from the type, and not necessarily distinct from the above species. We need the type sequence to see what this is. It may be the same as G. infula, but it also could be one of our G. esculenta group members. Gyromitra infula © Eric Chandler,     G. ambigua © Ed Barge,     G. 'ambigua PNW06' © Mandy Hackney

Cups - click to expand These are in one clade, along with the false morel Maublancomyces (Gyromitra montana). Piscidiscina (the Gyromitra leucoxantha group) contains the toxin gyromitrin, a cautionary tale for those who eat the lookalike Discina (Gyromitra ancilis group). The cups most likely to be confused with these are Disciotis and Rhizina. Species mentioned: Discina ancilis, mcknightii. Maublancomyces larryi, olympianus. Piscidiscina leucoxantha, persicula. Pseudodiscina melaleucoides.   TBD

Truffles - click to expand The trufflized Gyromitra are all in one clade, the genus Hydnotrya for those who split Gyromitra. Species mentioned: Hydnotria cerebriformis, cubispora, inordinata, michaelis, subnix, tulasnei, variiformis.   TBD\

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