# Elfin Saddle (*Helvella*)

Elfin Saddle is a magical-looking fungus that has a saddle shape! It often grows in forests and looks like a tiny hat.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests
- **Also known as:** Black Elfin Saddle, White Elfin Saddle

![Elfin Saddle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424564/objects/5162.jpg)

## Appearance

The Elfin Saddle has a uniquely convoluted, saddle-shaped, or irregularly lobed cap, often grey, brown, or whitish. Its hollow stem is typically ribbed, fluted, or lacunose, making it look sculpted. These features set it apart from typical umbrella-shaped mushrooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Pezizomycetes
- **Order:** Pezizales
- **Family:** Helvellaceae
- **Genus:** Helvella

## Interesting facts

- It's not a 'true mushroom' because spores shoot from tiny sacs, not gills.
- Its cap doesn't open like a classic mushroom, making it look quite alien!
- Some people think its wavy cap resembles a tiny, crumpled saddle.
- You can often find it growing where the soil has been disturbed by humans!

## Special abilities

- **Decomposition Dynamo:** Elfin Saddle can help break down dead leaves and wood because they release special enzymes that recycle nutrients into the soil.
- **Spore Shooter:** Elfin Saddle has tiny sacs that burst open to forcefully shoot their spores, helping them spread far and wide.
- **Nature's Sculptor:** Elfin Saddle has a uniquely ribbed or pitted stem that helps it stand tall and gives it a striking, architectural look.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 4-15 cm
- **Edible:** poisonous
- **Size:** 2-15 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Feeds on its fruiting bodies.
- **Eats:** [Leopard slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard-slug) (*Limax maximus*) — Consumes parts of the mushroom.
- **Eats:** Springtail (*Onychiurus armatus*) — Consumes decaying fungal tissue.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Elfin Saddle?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Elfin Saddle?

4-15 cm

### Is Elfin Saddle edible?

poisonous

### How big is Elfin Saddle?

2-15 cm

### Where is Elfin Saddle usually found?

Forests

### What does Elfin Saddle grow on?

soil

### When is Elfin Saddle in season?

Summer to Fall

### What color are Elfin Saddle spores?

White

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Elfin Saddle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elfin-saddle)