(Paragyromitra infula)
The Hooded False Morel Mushroom is poisonous. It is very poisonous. These fungi grow solitary or in small groups among the conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest. It can be found in most parts of North America. Its season is from November to April, and it is a winter mushroom that can grow under the snow.
The cap is reddish-brown to dark brown, saddle-shaped with various wrinkles that get more pronounced as it matures, and it is up to 15 cm wide. The flesh is thin and very brittle. The underside of this mushroom is a lighter brown colour. The stalk is off-white to buff, very smooth and from 5 to 10 cm long, tapering a bit at the bottom.
Some people will eat these following a very stringent set of rules for cooking them. But in my eyes, Hooded False Morel Mushroom is deadly poisonous and should never be eaten; do not even smell these fungi to avoid getting a poisonous reaction. It contains the toxin, monomethylhydrazine, which can cause death. The toxin M.M.H., which is found in this mushroom, is the same chemical used to fuel rockets into outer space.
This mushroom is so poisonous that even the fumes from cooking it can kill you. Please just look at this guy, then leave it alone.