Summary:
{See also Morels Table.} Morchella prava is the correct name for what was described as Morchella esculentoides. "The species usually can be identified on the basis of its esculenta-like stature and its contorted, asymmetrical and irregular pits and ridges. The pits are highly irregular in outline and size, and the thick, bluntly rounded ridges are less likely to become eroded and sharpened with maturity than the ridges in M. esculentoides"; the cap "often appears like a contorted or somewhat deformed version" of the M. esculentoides cap. Significant microscopic differences from M. esculentoides were not observed although the elements on sterile ridges in specimens studied generally were sparsely scattered or nearly absent, whereas they were easily located in M. esculentoides. (all preceding quotations from Kuo(6) with the Latin italicized). The description is derived from Kuo(6).

Microscopic:
spores (16)17-21(24) x (8)10-12(13) microns, elliptic to slightly subfusiform, smooth, "contents homogeneous"; asci 8-spored, 200-300 x 15-25 microns, cylindric, colorless; paraphyses 100-175 x 5-12.5 microns, cylindric, septate, colorless to brownish or brown in 2% KOH, "apices generally merely rounded or subclavate but occasionally clavate or subfusiform"; elements on sterile ridges "scattered and infrequent (often difficult to locate or distinguish from paraphyses)", 75-125 x 7.5-25(37.5) microns, colorless to ochraceous, brownish, or brown in 2% KOH, septate, "terminal cell widely cylindrical with a rounded apex, subclavate, clavate, subcapitate, capitate or widely subfusiform"

Notes:
The type is from MT, and collections were examined also from ON, SK, MI, and SD, (Kuo(6)). Collections in a molecular study were from BC, MT, and SD, (O''Donnell). It has been found in OR by M. Beug who has seen photographs from ID (pers. comm.).

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Cenangium spermatiosporum (Nyl.) Sacc.
Tympanis populina (Fuckel) Sacc.