Helvella crispa
Anamorph: not known.
Teleomorph: stromata absent. Ascomata large, discomycetous, stipitate. Cap 1.5-6 cm diam., saddle-shaped or more often with 2-3 irregular lobes, strongly convex, the margin at first inrolled, attached in some places to the stipe. Hymenium white to pale cream, cream when dried, often wrinkled towards the centre, the outer surface of the cap pubescent, cream to pale brownish. Stipe 3-8 cm high, 5-25 mm diam., tapering towards the cap, pubescent, almost white, with irregular longitudinal furrows, the ribs sharp-edged, irregular, anastomosing, the inside of the stipe with longitudinal chambers. Outer excipulum of angular to prismatic cells, 250-310 µm thick, the outermost cells arranged in fascicles, clavate to cylindrical, hyaline to pale brownish, 15-30 x 8-12 µm in size. Medulla (below hymenium) of intertwined hyphae, 350-420 µm thick. Interascal tissue of unbranched paraphyses, the apices clavate and 7-8 µm diam., nearly hyaline or dark brownish. Asci 250-310 x 12-14 µm, cylindrical, gradually tapered towards the base, the apex obtuse to rounded, operculate, not blueing in iodine, 8-spored. Ascospores arranged uniseriately, 18-21 x 11-12.5 µm, broadly ellipsoidal, aseptate, hyaline, smooth, fairly thick-walled, with a large central guttule and often smaller ones at each apex, without a gelatinous sheath but the young spores often appearing pustulate [possibly due to oil droplets within the ascus cytoplasm].
Description partly adapted from Dissing (1966).
Not formally assessed, but the species is common and widespread and would almost certainly be considered as of Least Concern.
The only species in GB&I with a furrowed stipe and white to pale cream saddle-shapped hymenium.
On soil and leaf litter and amongst grass under angiosperm trees, most frequently Corylus, Fagus and Quercus.
In GB&I, extending from SW and S England to northern Scotland, north and south Wales, Northern Ireland and ROI.
On bare ground and amongst moss and grass in deciduous wodlands..Autumn-fruiting.