The stipitate mitred discopodian ascocarp of Morchella deliciosa Fr. i
s structurally complex : the successive fertile elements are superimpo
sed from the base to the top and the hymenium is divided into alveolat
e parts by ridges. Two developmental features (ascogonial apparatus di
fferentiation within a preformed primordium, simple structure of the s
tipe) indicate it should be a primitive case within Discomycetes.