Black Morel Mushrooms (Morchella elata) are a species of mushroom where the fruiting body is cone-shaped and irregularly and deeply incised on the surface, looking somewhat brain-like with deep pits surrounded by ridges. The entire mushroom is hollow, with a single chamber extending from top to bottom, including the stem.

Black Morels fruit in springtime, usually on disturbed soils and especially in burned areas, but they occur in open forest too. This species has been recorded in Upper Kyle Canyon on Mt. Charleston.

Black Morels are highly sought after for cooking, but a few species of poisonous mushrooms that vaguely resemble morels, so be careful.

Taxonomy: Kingdom: Fungi; Class: Pezizomycetes; Order: Pezizales; Family: Morchellaceae.