Two species of true morels (The genus Morchella, Ascomycota) recorded in the Ojców National Park (south Poland)

Abstract

In this paper, we present results of survey on the occurrence of true morels, conducted in the Ojców National Park (ONP). The first data about true morels from the area of the ONP date back to the nineteenth century. However, despite multiple surveys in the next decades, their presence has not been confirmed. Therefore, true morels were thought to be extinct in the ONP. In 2014 and 2015, two morphotypes of true morel fruiting bodies were discovered in two sites, identified as black morels and yellow morels. In 2016, we collected three fruiting bodies for detailed morphological characterization and molecular identification. According to our results, these morels were identified as Morchella deliciosa and Morchella esculenta. Our finding is the first confirmation of the occurrence of both species (as they are presently recognized) in Poland.