Tuber indicum Cooke & Massee
Grevillea 20:67 (1892)
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Synonyms:
Tuber sinense Tao et Liu (1989)
Macroscopic characters:
Ascomata: hypogeous, subglobose, regular in form, sometimes lobed, 2–5 (10) cm in size, warted, blackish-brown. Warts 2–3 mm across, pyramidal, 4–6-sided, flattened, appearing eroded, irregular in form.
Gleba: somewhat elastic, solid, whitish at first, becoming black to purplish-black at maturity, marbled with numerous, thin, white, branching veins.
Odour: faint, truffle-like.
Taste: faint, rubbery, somewhat pungent.
Habitat:
Most truffles in the market today come from the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, where they are associated with mountain pines at altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 metres in a temperate climate. Tuber indicum was originally described from specimens collected in India, associated with Quercus. They ripen from November to March.
Notes:
There is considerable taxonomic confusion surrounding Chinese truffles. Molecular studies suggest that Tuber indicum and Tuber sinense are the same species. Tuber himalayense appears to be a distinct species and is considered superior gastronomically.
Tuber indicum is little valued in its country of origin and is exported in large quantities to European markets owing to its low price. It resembles Tuber melanosporum in appearance but has virtually no aroma.
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Microscopic characters:
Asci: subglobose, sessile or short-stalked, 60-90 x 50-60 µm, 1-5-spored (usually 4-spored).
Ascospores: 22-38 x 20-32 µm excluding ornament, size variable depending on number of spores in the ascus, Q range = 1,29-1,68, ellipsoid, dark brown, opaque at maturity, ornamented with thick, often curved spines, 3-5 µm long, 1-3 µm across at the base, coalescing to form an incomplete reticulum at the beginning of maturity and tending to disappear at complete maturity.
Peridium: pseudoparenchymatous
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Antonio Rodríguez trufamania@gmail.com antonio@trufamania.com |