In the Midwest, morel mushrooms, a meaty sprout with a distinct honeycombed cap, are king. These are big ass mushrooms...

St Georges may be less well known than ceps, girolles or morels, but they definitely rank amongst the finest wild mushrooms, with a firm texture, appealing mealy smell and distinctive flavour, reminiscent of soil and wood smoke.

The false morel, a mushroom, is highly poisonous. Ingestion of raw false morels will cause gyromitrin poisoning that affects multiple organs, and may be fatal. Gyromitrin and its metabolites are also carcinogenic. Regardless, in Finland, false morels (korvasieni) can often be found for sale to consumers.

A biologist in Indiana has, after 15 years, finally discovered that through a complicated process, Morel mushrooms grow in the roots of dead Elm, Apple, and Ash trees. He has successfully inoculated thousands of trees and is making his own Morel farm. Those interested in buying their own inoculated tree can visit http://www.morel-farms.com/ .

A fungus (pronounced /ˈfʌŋgəs/) is any eukaryotic organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (pronounced /ˈfʌndʒaɪ/). The fungi are heterotrophic organisms characterized by a chitinous cell wall, and in the majority of species, filamentous growth as multicellular hyphae forming a mycelium; some fungal species also grow as single cells. Sexual and asexual reproduction is commonly via spores, often produced on specialized structures or in fruiting bodies. Some fungal species have lost the ability to form specialized reproductive structures, and propagate solely by vegetative growth. Yeasts, molds, and mushrooms are examples of fungi. The fungi are a monophyletic group that is phylogenetically clearly distinct from the morphologically similar slime molds (myxomycetes) and water molds (oomycetes). The fungi are more closely related to animals than plants, yet the discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi, known as mycology, often falls under a branch of botany.Occurring worldwide, most fungi are largely invisible to the naked eye, living for the most part in soil, dead matter and as symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi. They perform an essential role in all ecosystems in decomposing matter and are indispensable in nutrient cycling and exchange. Some fungi become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or molds. Many fungal species have long been used as a direct source of food, such as mushrooms and truffles and in fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. More recently, fungi are being used as sources for antibiotics and various enzymes, such as cellulases, pectinases, and proteases, important for industrial use or as active ingredients of detergents. Many fungi produce bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids and polyketides that are toxic to animals including humans and are, therefore, called mycotoxins. Some fungi are used recreationally or in traditional ceremonies as a source of psychotropic compounds. Several species of the fungi are significant pathogens of humans and other animals, and losses due to diseases of crops (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage caused by fungi can have a large impact on human food supply and local economies.