Gyromitra is a genus of fungi whose species include Gyromitra esculenta, the false morel, once considered safe for consumption when thoroughly cooked. That view was overturned when its constituent gyromitrin and its metabolites were shown to be dangerously toxic: eating these mushrooms, cooked or raw, can cause severe illness or death through liver damage and blood disorders. The genus resembles true morels enough to fool foragers, making accurate identification a matter of food safety. Regulatory and mycological guidance in many countries now warns firmly against eating any Gyromitra species, and commercial wild-mushroom trade excludes them.