Truffle
Piedmont truffle (Tuber magnatum pico)
The Real truffles (Tuber ) are a fungal genus in the family truffle relatives. The species are mycorrhizal associations with trees and a fruiting bodies underground in the form of tubers. Striking is the marbled meat in cross section. The genus includes some coveted edible fungi that are detected with trained dogs, collected and sold as a delicacy at high prices.
- 3.1 Non-European types (selection)
- 5.1 Literature
- 5.2 Notes and references
Features
Macroscopic characteristics
The Real truffles form underground, bulbous spherical - hazel - to -head sized fruiting bodies. Their surface is often bumpy, the Trama is fleshy - tough and yellowish to dark brown, it can be provided with fleshy or cavities. The Gleba marbled by different colored wires, bright wires, called " veins externae " open at the surface of the fruiting body. Striking is the often strong smell of the fruit body.
Microscopic characteristics
A hymenium is not formed, the almost spherical asci are scattered like nests in the Gleba, they contain a reduced number of ascospores, usually less than eight, the broadly ellipsoidal ascospores are usually ornamented remarkably complex.
Ecology
The species of the genus live in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with deciduous trees, often with oak or hazel, they mainly occur in heat- favored areas. They bear fruit with underground ( hypogeous ), bulbous fruit bodies. Drag animals, which eat the fruit body and spores spread ( Zoochorie ). This is probably due to the very separate at maturity of the spores fragrances, attractive nutrients, seasonal availability of extensive underground fruiting bodies.
Species
The genus includes 86 species. In the German speaking countries of Europe 30 species occur.
Winter Truffle Tuber brumale
Fluffy truffles Tuber gibbosum
Chinese truffles Tuber indicum
Italian truffle Tuber magnatum
Perigord Tuber melanosporum
Tuber uncinatum
Non-European types (selection)
- Himalayan truffle - Tuber himalayensis
- White Chinese summer truffle - Tuber sinensis
Importance
The genus includes some of the most sought after and most expensive mushrooms. They are cultivated in the Mediterranean region and New Zealand in part in truffle forests where oaks are planted artificially infected with truffles.