Question

Question: Morchella is an edible
(a) Alga
(b) Fern
(c) Fungus
(d) Bacteria

Answer 1

Hint: Morchella is morel or mushroom sponge, and is highly valued for its delicacies. It belongs to the Mushroom-like group of eukaryotic species. The scientist who studies this class of organisms is called a mycologist.

Complete step by step answer:
Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible sac fungi in the order Pezizales (Ascomycota division) closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi. Because of the network of ridges with pits forming their caps these distinctive fungi have a honeycomb appearance.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Morchella species are used to treat indigestion, phlegm, croup, and shortness of breath.
The fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several types of macrofungi are edible mushrooms. These fungi bear fruiting structures that are large enough for the naked eye to see. They can either appear below ground (hypogeous) or above ground (epigeous) where they can be handpicked. Edibility can be described by parameters that include a lack of harmful effects on humans and desirable taste and smell.
Edible mushrooms include several fungal species either harvested or cultivated in the wild. Easily grown and common wild mushrooms are commonly available in markets, and those that are more difficult to acquire (such as the prized truffle, matsutake, and morel) can be collected by private gatherers on a smaller scale.
So, the correct answer is, ‘(c) Fungus’.

Note: Morchella has a major characteristic that separates them from other fungi. This function plays an important part in their reproduction and helps to understand why they were so hard to develop. This trait is called the sclerotium. It is a large structure, with large cells and thick walls of cells. The sclerotium enables the survival of the organism under adverse conditions. It also regulates what Morchella is going to do when reproduction comes around.