Helvella
Helvella is a genus of ascomycete fungus of the family Helvellaceae. The mushrooms, commonly known as elfin saddles, are identified by their irregularly shaped caps, fluted stems, and fuzzy undersurfaces. They are found in North America and in Europe. Well known species include the whitish H. crispa and the grey H. lacunosa. They have been reported to cause gastrointestinal symptoms when eaten raw.
Description
Species in Helvella have fruiting bodies that grow above the ground, and usually have stems. The cup-like fruiting body can assume a variety of forms: it may be shaped like an ear, or a saddle; it may be convex or irregularly lobed and bent. The spore-bearing surface, the hymenium, can be smooth, wavy or wrinkled and can range in color from white to black or various shades of gray or brown. Similarly, the outer surface of the fruiting bodies can be smooth, ribbed, or have minute hairlike projections. The stem is cylindrical and tapering or grooved and ribbed. The flesh is usually between 1-2 mm thick.
Species
, Species Fungorum has registered159 species of Helvella:Helvella acetabuloidesHelvella acetabulumHelvella adhaerensHelvella affinisHelvella agaricoidesHelvella albellaHelvella albipesHelvella alpicolaHelvella alpinaHelvella arcticaHelvella arcto-alpinaHelvella astieriHelvella aterrimaHelvella atraHelvella atroidesHelvella austrooccidentalisHelvella bachuHelvella borealisHelvella branzezianaHelvella brevisHelvella brevissimaHelvella bulbosaHelvella calycinaHelvella capucinaHelvella capucinoidesHelvella carnosaHelvella chinensisHelvella cinerellaHelvella compressaHelvella connivensHelvella constrictaHelvella corbiereiHelvella coriumHelvella cornutaHelvella costiferaHelvella crispaHelvella crispoidesHelvella cupuliformisHelvella cystidiataHelvella danicaHelvella dovrensisHelvella dryadophilaHelvella dryophilaHelvella duraHelvella elasticaHelvella englerianaHelvella ephippioidesHelvella ephippiumHelvella faulkneraeHelvella favreiHelvella fibrosaHelvella fistulosaHelvella flavidaHelvella floriformaHelvella foetidaHelvella fulvaHelvella fuscaHelvella fuscolacunosaHelvella galeriformisHelvella glutinosaHelvella griseoalbaHelvella guttataHelvella heganiiHelvella helvellulaHelvella hispanicaHelvella hispidaHelvella huangiiHelvella hyperboreaHelvella hypocrateriformisHelvella ibericaHelvella inexpectataHelvella involutaHelvella jiaohensisHelvella jilinensisHelvella jimsaricaHelvella jizushanicaHelvella jocatoiHelvella juniperiHelvella lacteaHelvella lacunosaHelvella latisporaHelvella leucopusHelvella liuiHelvella lobataHelvella ludovicaeHelvella macropusHelvella maculataHelvella maculatoidesHelvella magnaHelvella maroccanaHelvella menzelianaHelvella mesatlanticaHelvella minorHelvella monachellaHelvella nannfeldtiiHelvella neopallescensHelvella orentitomentosaHelvella orienticrispaHelvella pallidulaHelvella papuensisHelvella paraphysitorquataHelvella parvaHelvella pedunculataHelvella pezizoidesHelvella philonotisHelvella phlebophoraHelvella phlebophoroidesHelvella phlebophoropsisHelvella pileataHelvella plateataHelvella platycephalaHelvella platypodiaHelvella pocillumHelvella poculiformisHelvella pseudoalpinaHelvella pseudolacunosaHelvella pseudoreflexaHelvella pubescensHelvella pulchraHelvella pullaHelvella quadrisulcaHelvella queletianaHelvella ravidaHelvella retinervisHelvella rivularisHelvella robustaHelvella rossicaHelvella rugosaHelvella schaefferiHelvella scrobiculataHelvella scyphoidesHelvella semiobrutaHelvella sichuanensisHelvella sinensisHelvella solidaHelvella solitariaHelvella subfusisporaHelvella subglabraHelvella sublacteaHelvella subspadiceaHelvella subtintaHelvella taiyuanensisHelvella terrestrisHelvella terricolaHelvella tianshanensisHelvella tintaHelvella ulvineniiHelvella umbraculiformisHelvella underwoodiiHelvella unicolorHelvella vaciniHelvella variaHelvella verruculosaHelvella vespertinaHelvella vitreaHelvella vulgataHelvella xinjiangensisHelvella yunnanensis
Transferred species
Helvella aestivalis – now Balsamia aestivalisHelvella beatonii – now Geomorium beatoniiHelvella confusa – now Dissingia confusaHelvella crassitunicata – now Dissingia crassitunicataHelvella dissingi – now Helvella fibrosaHelvella fuegiana – now Geomorium fuegianumHelvella javanica – synonym of Helvella lacunosaHelvella leucomelaena – now Dissingia leucomelaenaHelvella oblongispora – now Dissingia oblongisporaHelvella queletii – synonym of ''Helvella solitaria''