Described as new to science in 2012, it is found in North America (in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Yukon Territory).

Morchella sextelata is one of four species of wildfire-adapted morels in western North America, the others being M. capitata, M. septimelata, and M. tomentosa.

Morchella sextelata was originally identified as phylogenetic species "Mel-6" in the species-rich Elata clade (brown morels) elucidated by microbiologist Kerry O'Donnell and colleagues in a 2011 publication.

Although M. sextelata is not distinguishable from Morchella septimelata on physical or ecological characteristics, they are clearly genetically distinct species, and can be differentiated by comparing DNA sequences or with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

[1] Allopatric speciation is thought to have been the driving evolutionary force that caused M. sextelata to diverge from its ancestors roughly 25 million years ago.

They are initially colorless, becoming pale tan, then dark grayish brown in maturity, eventually darkening to nearly black.

The flesh is whitish, measuring 1–2 mm thick in the hollow cap; it may become layered and chambered in the base of the stipe.

[1] Morchella sextelata is morphologically indistinguishable from several other morel species in the M. elata clade, including M. septimelata, M. brunnea, M. angusticeps, and M. septentrionalis.

[1] M. sextelata has also been found in China, but it remains unclear whether dispersal between these distant locations occurred naturally or through accidental introduction by humans.