Gyromitra and Related Lorchels

By: Joe Cohen

2025 Feb 27

In a paper published this January, a team headed by Dr. Alden Dirks revises (one might say “scrambles”) the taxonomy and names of Gyromitra and related mushrooms. Dr. Dirks also presented those finding in a webinar which you can view on YouTube. A few of the many interesting results:

Gyromitra esculenta. For many years, we’ve called this local mushroom “Gyromitra esculenta”.  That’s wrong. Gyromitra esculenta is a European species. What we find in the Pacific Northwest is something else: G. splendida or possibly G. venenata.

Gyromitra montana. Our Gyromitra montana has been moved to a different genus. It’s now Maublancomyces montanus. Many other old names have been moved to new genera.

Identification. Lorchels can be identified to genus by combination of macromorphology (things visible to the naked eye) plus spore shape via light microscopy — you don’t need an electron microscope or a DNA sequence.

gyromitrin. This highly potent toxin (it has caused some fatalities) occurs in true Gyromitra and in Piscinadiscina. Related genera do not contain gyromitrin. Contrary to urban legend, gyromitra occurrence for a given species does not vary by location.

“Citizen Science”. Collections by amateur mycologists, including OMS members, played an important role in this research.

A few comments:

• Lorchel. Dr. Dirks uses the common name “lorchels” rather than “false morels”. I agree that it’s better to call things by what they are, rather than what they are not. (Furthermore, lorchels don’t look like morels to me, or anyone else I know.) 
• “Edibility”. The paper and webinar (below) include some discussion of “edibility”.
  • “Edible” probably means something like “many people eat this without immediate known health issues.” It doesn’t mean that you (as opposed to other people) can eat them safely, and doesn’t guarantee that they are free of long-term health issues.
  • Absence of gyromitrin does not equal “safe”.
  • Please have a look at our FAQ on Eating Wild Mushrooms.

For more information:

• Dirks, A.C., et al. Phylogenomic insights into the taxonomy, ecology, and mating systems of the lorchel family Discinaceae (Pezizales, Ascomycota), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2025) 108286 
• Dirks, The False Morels (Gyromitra spp.): Everything You Need to Know (Feb 25 2025 NAMA Webinar).

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