Morchellaceae

The Morchellaceae are a family of ascomycete fungi in the order Pezizales. According to a standard reference work, the family has contained at least 49 species distributed among four genera. However, in 2012, five genera that produce ascoma that are sequestrate and hypogeous were added. The best-known members are the highly regarded and commercially picked true morels of the genus Morchella, the thimble morels of the genus Verpa, and a genus of cup-shaped fungi Disciotis. The remaining four genera produce the sequestrate fruit bodies. Analysis of the ribosomal DNA of many of the Pezizales showed the three genera Verpa, Morchella, and Disciotis to be closely related. Thus they are now included in the family Morchellaceae.