I found only one ascoma - on February, the 27th. Findplace: Portugal, Algarve, n. Loule, nature reserve Fonte Benemola, under Fraxinus angustifolia - and: Nerium oleander!

I first thought of M. anatolica because of the macroscopy. But unfortunately the specimen was not ripe, I found not asci with spores (first two fotos). So I dried half of the carpophore at once and kept the other half in a box. I investigated the nearly fluid rest at March, the 14th. I had luck and found some asci with spores (other fotos).

Compared with the original description from Turkey (Isiloglu et al. 2010) I came to the conclusion that my specimen cannot be M. anatolica: the spore measures do not fit perfectly and - more important - I could not find the ornament of striae described by the authors. But - ... possibly this was because of the ripening process that was "suboptimal" (???).

Yesterday (because of the post of Pierre-Arthur) I read the key of Clovez & al. 2015). Here there is no alternative to M. anatolica - and: Nerium oleander is considered as the partner plant of M. anatolica. And Nerium oleander was present in my collection (beneath Fraxinus angustifolia what I thought to be the partner or host).

So - can somebody help me with my morel? By the way: it is the onyl morel carpophore that I ever found in Portugal ...

Best regards from Lothar

Pierre-Arthur Moreau, 29-04-2016 17:36

Re : Morchella spec. from Portugal - M. anatolica (???)

Hi Lothar, it seems that you have made the first observation of Morchella anatolica from Portugal. congratulations ! The identification does not sound doubtful, it is a very singular species. In melzer you should be able to distinguish the striations on the most mature spores.
Best wishes, Pierre-Arthur

Lothar Krieglsteiner, 29-04-2016 20:29

Re : Morchella spec. from Portugal - M. anatolica (???)

Hello Hans and Pierre-Arthur,

thank you very much for your comments.

@Pierre-Arthur: I will try to look in Melzer - but unfortunately I am moving in the moment and every specimens are somewhere in boxes .... -

In cotton blue I could observe no structures of the spore wall.

Best regards from Lothar

Lothar Krieglsteiner, 29-04-2016 20:31

Re : Morchella spec. from Portugal - M. anatolica (???)

Hi Pierre-Arthur,

I forgot to ask:

You write it is the first find of M. anatolica in Portugal. Well, it is not so difficult to find a lot of new species for Portugal, I fear. But - do you know something of Spanish finds? Or asked in another way: where besides Turkey exist reliable specimens of M. anatolica?

Thanks in advance and best regards from Lothar