Taxonomic revision of true morels (Morchella) in Canada and the United States

Abstract

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed the existence of at least 50 species of Morchella worldwide and demonstrated a high degree of continental endemism within the genus. Here we describe 19 phylogenetic species of Morchella from North America, 14 of which are new (M. diminutiva, M. virginiana, M. esculentoides, M. prava, M. cryptica, M. frustrata, M. populiphila, M. sextelata, M. septimelata, M. capitata, M. importuna, M. snyderi, M. brunnea and M. septentrionalis). Existing species names (M. rufobrunnea, M. tomentosa, M. punctipes and M. angusticeps) are applied to four phylogenetic species, and formal description of one species (M. sp. “Mel-8”) is deferred pending study of additional material. Methods for assessing morphological features in Morchella are delineated, and a key to the known phylogenetic species of Morchella in North America is provided. Type studies of M. crassistipa, M. hotsonii, M. angusticeps and M. punctipes are provided. Morchella crassistipa is designated nomen dubium.

Key words:

• Ascospore
• identification key
• Morchellaceae
• morels
• morphology
• North America
• pits
• taxonomy

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the help of Cathie Aime, Cathy Cripps, Darvin DeShazer, Ron Kerner and Carol Schmudde for presubmission reviews. We thank Stacy Sink who provided excellent technical assistance and John Haines who examined Peck's type collections and provided morphological data.

We wish to thank and acknowledge Nancy Weber for her many years of invaluable contributions to the study of Morchella in North America and to mycological study in general.

We are grateful for the following collectors who contributed specimens and data cited in this work to the MDCP: Terry Allen, William Andrew, Keith Arquilla, Rex Bartlett, Dent Benjamin, Lesley Bergemann, Glenn Brown, Tommy Chiu, Norris Coit, Darvin DeShazer, Tanya Duchild, Tom Emig, Chris England, Scott Engstrom, Gretchen Fitzgerald, Tim Geho, Jim George, Ken Greger, Gaston Guzmán, Bill Hartwig, Donna Herbold, Matthew Hill, John Holmes, Julia Hoskins, John Jennemann, Sherry Kay, Dan Kimberling, Toff Kobylarz, Dave Kowalishen, Judy Latchaw, Curt Leitz, Jim Lessard, Rowlin Lichter, Douglas Ling, Jeff Linkinhoker, Patrick Lyon, Ray Mason, James Mattan, Cornelius McHugh, Ron Meyers, Keith Miller, Nathan Mueller, Mary Munch, Kristin Musgnug, Bill Neill, Carl Nielsen, Carolina Nurik, Miles Oleskiw, Ron Pastorino, Greg Pecchia, Jamie Petersen, John Plischke, Judy Provo-Klimek, Rebecca Rader, Morgan Sailors, John Schaefer, Wendy Schaefer, Floyd Schmidt, Steve Schwartzman, Bob Sears, Neil Selbicky, Tony Sepulveda, Robert Sharman, Mike Sheller, Noah Siegel, Scott Smith, Dave Steortz, Greg Stevenson, Don Stokes, Jeanne Storm, Alan Thrailkill, Dave Trummer, Nancy Walker, Mike Wood, Joe Ziolkowski and Bob Zordani.

We thank the following individuals and herbaria for kindly lending or processing specimens: the Stover-Ebinger Herbarium at Eastern Illinois University (EIU, Gordon Tucker, curator), the Harry D. Thiers Herbarium of San Francisco State University (SFSU, Dennis Desjardin, curator), the Mycology Collection of the Field Museum of Natural History (F, Robert Lücking, curator), the Oregon State University Mycological Collection (OSC, Joey Spatafora, curator), the University Herbarium of the University of California (UC, Tom Bruns, curator), the University of Washington Herbarium (WTU, Richard Olmstead, curator) and the U.S. National Fungus Collections (BPI, Shannon Dominick, curator).

We also thank Joe Ammirati, Alija Bajro Mujic, Dick Bishop, Roy Halling, Patrick Leacock, Lorinda Leonardi, Drew Minnis, Tom Nauman, Vicky Nauman, Lorelei Norvell, Dennis Oliver, Ron Petersen, Alice Piller, Jean Toothman and Sue Yocum for invaluable assistance in various aspects of this study.

Studies of morels in National Capital Region Parks were supported by Cooperative Agreement H3992050001 (Protecting resources: sustaining wild mushrooms in four NCR Parks) from the National Park Service, which provided financial support to the University of Arkansas and (through sub-award agreement SA0604193) to the University of Toronto. The logistical support provided by park personnel on many different aspects of the overall project is greatly appreciated.

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