Kevadkogritsad võib leida liivastest männikutest ja sihiservadelt mai algul, toomingate õitsemise ajal. Need pruunid voldilised mügarikud torkavad kevadiselt lagedal metsaalusel hästi silma. Kevadkogritsa kübar on ebakorrapärase kujuga, voldilis-kääruline, punakaspruun, kuni 10 cm kõrge, jalg valge või roosakas. Kogrits armastab kasvada vanade männikändude läheduses ja metsasihtide servadel, aga ka rohtunud metsaservadel ja lagendikel.

Kevadkogrits on tavaline kogu Eestis, kohati kasvab teda lausa massiliselt. Esimese kevadise seenena korjatakse teda usinalt ning tarvitatakse toiduks. Õigesti toiduks töödelduna on kevadkogrits söödav, kuid tegelikult on ta ohtlikult mürgine ja võib raskemal juhul isegi surma põhjustada. Kevadkogritsas sisalduvad mürkained lenduvad kuumutamisel kergesti ja tänu sellele muutuvad ilma kaaneta potis kupatatud või isegi lahtisel pannil praetud seened enamasti ohutuks. Mingil juhul ei tohi kevadkogritsaid küpsetada mikrolaineahjus, sest siis ei hävi mürkained ja raske mürgistus on vältimatu.

Kogritsad armastavad jahedat ja vihmast kevadet, siis püsivad nad kaua värsked ja ilusad ning neid võib korjata mai lõpuni. Kui aga maikuus juhtuvad olema päikeselised ja soojad ilmad, siis närtsivad nad kiiresti: otsekui vajuvad kokku ja muutuvad mustalaigulisteks.

Pileus

Cap 5-9 cm tall, 5-11 cm broad, semi-globose, brain-like, inconspicuously lobed; fertile surface convoluted to wrinkled, lobes separated by deep furrows; color: tan-brown, ochraceous-brown, deep reddish-brown; sterile undersurface of cap cream to buff-colored; margin attached to stipe at several points; context thin, brittle; odor and taste not distinctive.

Stipe

Stipe 3-6 cm long, 1-3 cm thick, hollow, round to compressed, sometimes grooved or with basal folds; surface smooth to furfuraceous, whitish, often tinged vinaceous-tan.

Spores

Spores 18-23 x 9-12 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, with two oil droplets; spores pale yellowish-buff in deposit.

Habitat

Solitary, scattered to gregarious under conifers, occasionally under hardwoods; common in the Sierra, rare in coastal forests; fruiting from late winter to spring.

Edibility

Potentially deadly, especially raw, but see comments.

Comments

Commonly known as the Brain Mushroom because of its much wrinkled, typically reddish-brown cap, Gyromitra esculenta is one of the more distinctive members of the "False Morel" group. Nonetheless, it is sometimes confused with morels (Morchella spp.) The latter are easily distinguished by their longitudinally ridged, pitted caps. Although the species name suggests edibility, Gyromitra esculenta is a questionable choice for the table as it contains monomethylhydrazine (MMH), a volatile toxin which in high doses can be fatal. Anecdotal evidence and preliminary tests by Duffy and Vergeer suggest that California material may not contain high levels of MMH, but caution is still advised. Although we cannot recommend eating this mushroom, it is commonly consumned in the Western United states. If you do try Gyromitra esculenta, it should always be cooked in a well ventilated area to avoid breathing any monomethylhydrazine that might be present and the cooking liquid should be discarded.