''Cyttaria hariotii'' is an

edible mushroom Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground (hypogeous) or above ground ...

commonly called llao llao, llaullao and pan de indio. The fungus, found in

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...

, southern

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

, is

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has c ...

on ''

Nothofagus ''Nothofagus'', also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 43 species of trees and shrubs native to the Southern Hemisphere in southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and Australasia (east and southeast Australia, New Zealand, New Gui ...

'' (Southern beech) trees. The fungus affects its

hosts A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places *Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman *Michel Host ( ...

internally in its

sap Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a separa ...

ducts; the tree defends itself by generating

gall Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...

s to bypass the sap blockages. The fungus expands out of the gall to other parts of the tree. That grows in the branches of the trees as if it was a fruit. This one is a great eatable mushroom of sweet flavor with which desserts, sweets and even icecreams are made.

References

* ''Flora del Archipiélago Fueguino y Patagonia'', 2nd Edition, Buenos Aires, 2006, * ''Patagonia and Antarctica, Life and Color'', María Luisa Petraglia de Bozón y Norberto Domingo de Bolzón, Buenos Aires, 2005, * Alfonso, J. 1938. ''Los Bosques de Tierra del Fuego''. En: ''Revista Dirección Nacional de Bosques'', N°47, Vol I:115-119 * Guerrido C. & Fernández D., 2007, ''Flora Patagonia'', Fantástico Sur, * Rothkugel, M. 1916; ''Los Bosques Patagónicos''. Ministerio de Agricultura. Buenos Aires

External links

Leotiomycetes Fungi of South America Edible fungi Parasitic fungi Ecology of Patagonia Fungi described in 1888 {{Leotiomycetes-stub