North Country explorer from
On the Stone Valley trail this morning I saw what I thought was a morel. However, on closer inspection (and some research when I got home) I concluded this is actually Verpa bohemica, one of several species commonly called "false morel." It can be distinguished from true morels because it has a wrinkled, rather than pitted, fruiting body, and the bottom of the cap is separate from the stem. These guys are actually poisonous, unlike the coveted true morels. Just a reminder to never eat anything unless you're absolutely positive of what it is.