A survey of half-free morels in Spain reveals a new species: Morchella iberica sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Pezizales)

The authors describe, on the basis of three Spanish collections, a new species of morel: Morchella iberica, close to the European species M. semilibera (half-free morel), belonging to sect. Distantes, subsect. Papyraceae. A microscopical analysis and a phylogenetic analysis of the ITS and LSU regions of ribosomal DNA confirm the proximity and the differences between M. iberica and M. semilibera, as well as with M. pakistanica, M. populiphila and M. punctipes, three other half-free morels