Now that spring is in the air, our minds are turning to morels. And thanks to a new study published in Fungal Genetics and Biology (you do subscribe, yes?), we can swoon over this honeycomb-capped fungi with a little more knowledge.
Turns out morels have been on the planet since the time of the dinosaurs, splitting off from other fungal species 129 million years ago at the beginning of the Cretaceous period. Since then, morels have evolved into 177 related species, and western North America -- particularly the Pacific Northwest -- has been an evolutionary hot spot.
"Oddly enough, most animal species aren't particularly attracted to morels," says Oregon State University researcher Nancy Weber, who participated in the study. "A few slugs and other things will eat them. But humans have probably been eating them for about as long as there have been humans."
The newly published genetic analysis, one of the most detailed ever done, also suggests what conservation efforts will be needed to protect the morel for centuries to come. As to what accounts for their exceptional deliciousness when sautéed in butter, that's a research question we'll be happy to investigate.
For more information related to dinosaurs, visit rareresource.com.
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