dannymi's Identifications

Note solid stipe, with slight hollow near base, yellowing interior cavity. On trail right behind Parsonage. Mature smooth ellipsoidal Spores: (15-20)x(10-16) um, Ascospores smaller and more rounded while developing in the ascus. Ascus longer (~340um long in photo 13, structural hyphae unusually wide at the septa (5um), 4um wide otherwise. Paraphyses long and clavate, knobby, with single septa, approx 250um long, Waxy/greasy feel to the top of the cap -see shiny spots photo 2,3, underside felted/matted like a pool table. See description pg 560 'Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast' - I compared to MBC Helvella compressa - while there are some similarities, there are too many differences: Near blackish (very dark brown) cap, Stipe colour and length, colour of the 'hairs/matting' underneath, not white. The stem base is pale and wider/bulbous, but overall colours are blackish, mouse brown here with white flesh. Black book pg 126.