Ever year people scour the trails in Wisconsin’s north woods
to forage for mushrooms with high hopes of bringing home some delicious earthy
eats. The Morel Mushroom is without a
doubt one of the most highly sought
after fungi, not only is it quite tasty, the morel mushroom retails at $15-17
or more per pound to the right buyer or “fun guy”. But, before you head out in to a local
hardwood forest where these mushrooms can be harvested make sure you know what
you are looking for because there is more than one look-a-like that can make
you extremely sick. One of these
imposter morals is the Conifer False Morel (Brain Fungus), and this very
distinctive spring mushroom (mid-May to mid-June in northern Wisconsin) grows
at the same time of year and in the same habitat (sandy soil, under pine,
spruce, and sometimes aspen) as the true morel. Even with their similarities the distinctive
red-brown brain like cap on the poisonous false morel mushroom is an easy way
to tell the difference between the two.
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to identify this poisonous
fungus in the wild but you might need to a rocket scientist to fully appreciate
and understand the fascinating truth behind the Conifer false morel. Scientific studies of this particular fungus
has revealed that the presence of a carcinogenic toxin, monomethylhydrazine
(MMH), is not only what causes the unpleasant symptoms to humans after
ingesting it is used as a propellant for the rocket fuel in the Space Shuttle.
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