Elaphomyces

Prickly deer truffle ( Elaphomyces muricatus )

Deer truffle ( Elaphomyces ) is a fungal genus that form fruiting bodies grow underground. There are about 65 species worldwide of deer truffles, which are in Europe about 18 species. The most common type is the warty deer truffle ( Elaphomyces granulatus ). The second most common is the reticulated or kleinwarzige deer truffle ( Elaphomyces muricatus ).

Features

Deer truffle form as all truffles in a broader sense hypogeous, ie. underground bulbous fruit bodies, which are provided with a peridium. However, it is in their fruiting bodies are real Cleistothecia and not like the real truffle from apothecia dissipative structures. Their spores are spiny- round and are colored brown to purple brown.

Ecology and occurrence

Deer truffles are mycorrhizal fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with various species of trees. However, the visible deer truffles are the fruiting bodies of fungal mycelium that grows all year round. In contrast to the above ground only seasonally (especially in autumn) growing fruit bodies of other fungal species, the fruiting bodies of deer truffles grow all year round. They are usually inedible for humans, but are happy to found and eaten by pigs, deer and roe deer. As the deer truffles store high amounts of 137Cs, a high proportion of this radioactive metal was also found in wild boar meat. Wild boar are the only type of game in which the 137Cs contamination has stagnated since the Chernobyl accident in some areas of the Federal Republic at relatively high levels. Many species are common, but are rarely found through the hidden way of life. Some species are parasitized by species of the nuclear lobes. All types of nuclear lobes that parasitize on deer truffle, have recently been separated from the original genus Cordyceps and placed in a separate genus ( Elaphocordyceps ).

System

The deer truffles are a relatively isolated group standing and are not closely related to the genuine truffles. After Lumbsch and chicken village the deer truffles belong to the family of deer truffles relatives within the Eurotiales. However, some authors they even put in your own subclass ( Elaphomycetidae ). Suspicions that it could be geophilum to the Anamorphic a kind of deer truffles when widespread mycorrhizal fungus Cenococcum, turned out to be inaccurate.

European Species

• Elaphomyces aculeatus
• Elaphomyces anthracinus
• Elaphomyces citrinus
• Elaphomyces cyanosporus
• Elaphomyces decipiens
• Kleinwarzige deer truffle ( Elaphomyces granulatus )
• Elaphomyces japonicus
• Elaphomyces leveillei
• Elaphomyces morettii
• Prickly deer truffle ( Elaphomyces muricatus )
• Elaphomyces mutabilis
• Elaphomyces officinalis
• Elaphomyces persoonii
• Elaphomyces variegatus
• Elaphomyces virgatosporus
• Elaphomyces viridiseptum

Use

In the late 19th century dried deer truffles were sold under the name " Hirschbrunst " in the trade. The truffles were used by farmers as a " leap means " for cattle.