Helvella compressa | |
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Baja California, Mexico, 2019 | |
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Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, 2017 | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Ascomycota |
Class: | Pezizomycetes |
Order: | Pezizales |
Family: | Helvellaceae |
Genus: | Helvella |
Species: | H. compressa
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Binomial name | |
Helvella compressa (Snyder) N.S.Weber (1975)
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Synonyms[1] | |
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Helvella compressa, also known as the compressed elfin saddle, is a species of ascomycete "sac fungus" related to the Peziza cups. Helvella compressa is endemic to North America west of the Rocky Mountains.[2]: 49 According to David Arora, H. compressa "seems to be the most common" of the non-fluted Helvellas found in California.[3] Helvella compressa is possibly also present in China and Tibet.[4]: 148
The distinctive fruiting body looks roughly like a fortune cookie on a stick and can only be confused with Helvella albella, which is rarer, and has a darker brown cap and a smooth underside (rather than H. compressa's "faintly" fuzzy underside) and H. elastica, which is smaller, with "rounder lobes".[5] H. compressa can be distinguished from Helvella atra by its coloration.[3]
Helvella compressa is genetically closely related to H. stevensii, H. corbierei,[4]: 114 and H. levis (synonym of Helvella latispora).[4]: 149 H. levis is more common in Europe and the Danish call it Bredsporet foldhat ("wide-brimmed hat").[2][6] Helvella stevensii is smaller and paler than H. compressa.[3]
Species Fungorum synonymy
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).