Helvella elastica    Bull. 

common name(s) : Elastic Saddle, Elastic Brain Fungus 

New classification: Ascomycota/Pezizomycotina/Pezizomycetes/Pezizomycetidae/Pezizales/Helvellaceae  
Former classification: Ascomycota/Hymenoascomycetes/Pezizomycetideae/Pezizales/Pezizineae/Helvellaceae  

synonyms: Leptopodia elastica 

edibility : discard

potential confusions with  Helvella elastica toxicity of Helvella elastica genus Helvella  

The cap is saddle-shaped, with a grey-white, dull ochre to greyish-brown internal surface, the external being grey-white, or same colour as the internal surface but paler, with a well differentiated stem, smooth to slightly furrowed, whitish, slender.

The fertile surface is smooth.

It grows on the ground, in broad-leaved (or sometimes coniferous) woods, in pathsides, on a rather calcareous, but also acid soil.

The fruiting period takes place from June to December.
Dimensions: width of cap approximately 3 cm (between 1 and 4 cm)
  total height approximately 8 cm (between 3 and 12 cm)
  width of stem approximately 6 mm (between 3 and 10 mm)

Distinctive features : sorry, no English description yet

Helvella elastica is rare and localised in the forest of Rambouillet, and is occasional, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Helvella elastica in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Helvella elastica in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18