Discina gigas, commonly known as the snow mushroom, snowbank false morel, walnut,[5] giants false morel,[6][7][8] snow morel, snow false morel, calf brain, or bull nose, is a species of fungus and a member of the Ascomycota found in Europe. It is referred to as one of the false morels, due to its similar appearance and occurrence in the spring and early summer in similar habitats to true morels (Morchella ssp.).
| Discina gigas | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Pezizomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Discinaceae |
| Genus: | Discina |
| Species: | D. gigas
|
| Binomial name | |
| Discina gigas | |
| Synonyms[4] | |
|
List
| |
Discina gigas | |
|---|---|
 | Smooth hymenium |
 | Cap is convex |
 | Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is yellow to buff |
 | Ecology is saprotrophic or mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is not recommended |
Taxonomy
editThe species was first described scientifically by Julius Vincenz von Krombholz as Helvella gigas.[2]
Similar species
editHence its common name, Discina gigas resembles true morels, Morchella ssp. D. gigas also resembles toxic species of the genus Gyromitra.[9]
A very similar and directly related species, D. montana, occurs in North America; it apparently has larger spores than D. gigas.[10] While both species are reportedly edible in small amounts if thoroughly cooked, eating is not recommended due to their similarity to more toxic species of mushrooms.[9][11]
Toxicity
editIt contains small quantities of hydrazines;[12] its content in gyromitrin was scientifically assessed by Viernstein et al. [Botanical identification 1980] and resulted of about 1mg per kg of fresh mushroom (roughly 1,500-fold less compared to that of Gyromitra esculenta). Though no casualties have been ascribed to its consumption, parboiling is still highly recommended. Some guides have listed it as being edible if properly prepared. However, consumption is not recommended due to variability and similarity to other more toxic species of the genus Gyromitra.[9]
This fungus has been banned for sale in France since 1991 due to potential toxicity, the effects of which would cause a fairly rare fatal neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).[13][14]
References
edit- ^ Eckblad FE. (1968). "The genera of the operculate discomycetes". Nytt Magasin for Botanik. 15 (1–2): 1–191 (see p. 99).
- ^ a b c von Krombholz JV. (1834). "Naturgetreue Abbildungen und Beschreibungen der Schwämme" (in German). 3: 1–36.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Imai S. (1938). "Symbolae ad floram mycologicum asiae orientalis II". Botanical Magazine Tokyo. 52 (619): 357–63. doi:10.15281/jplantres1887.52.357.
- ^ "Gyromitra gigas (Krombh.) Cooke 1878". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2012-11-04.
- ^ Arora, David (1986). Mushrooms demystified: a comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi (Second ed.). Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 978-0-89815-169-5.
- ^ "Gyromitra gigas · giants false morel". The British Mycological Society. Archived from the original on 2022-02-05. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ "Gyromitra gigas · giants false morel". NBN Atlas. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ "Giant's False Morel (Gyromitra gigas)". Ninaturalist.nz. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ a b c Volk T. (May 2002). "Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month: Gyromitra esculenta". Retrieved 2011-05-03.
- ^ Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuides. p. 509. ISBN 978-0-7627-3109-1.
- ^ Trudell, Steve; Ammirati, Joe (2009). Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. Timber Press Field Guides. Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 281. ISBN 978-0-88192-935-5.
- ^ Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. p. 363. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.
- ^ "Un champignon lié à des cas de maladie de Charcot : la fin d'une énigme médicale vieille de plus de dix ans" (in French). 4 September 2021.
- ^ "An amyotrophic lateral sclerosis hot spot in the French Alps associated with genotoxic fungi".
