A false truffle or a hymenogastrale is any

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

that has underground

fruiting bodies The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...

that produce

basidiocarps In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp (fungi), sporocarp of a basidiomycota, basidiomycete, the Multicellular organism, multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are chara ...

resembling the true

truffle A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including ''Geopora'', ''Peziz ...

s of genus ''

Tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

''. While rodents such as squirrels eat a wide variety of false truffle species, many are considered toxic (''Scleroderma'' species) or otherwise unpalatable and only a few are sought after as food. The rodents exist in an almost symbiotic relationship with the false truffle. The false truffle depends on the rodents to help spread its spores as it does not have the ability to eject the spores themselves. The rodents are attracted to a scent produced by the false truffle and ingest the spores. Spores survive the intestinal tract of the rodents and are excreted in the fecal matter ready to germinate. During the evolutionary period of the false truffle it lost its mushroom cap shape and closed up to protect the spores from dryer or harsher conditions. As a result it lost the ability to discharge its spores and hence the need for animal spore distribution. It is thought that false truffles and truffles evolved to grow beneath the surface because of changing conditions on the surface. Given that fungus is sensitive to moisture and temperatures it makes sense that one strategy of survival would be to go underground where the moisture content is more stable. The stipe also dramatically shortened because it no longer needed the length to help with spore dispersal; as a result, some species either lost the stipe or is still found inside the false truffles. Similar in appearance to true truffles, which are ascomycetes, false truffles are basidiomycetes. Different False truffle lineage can be traced to agarics, russulas, boletes, and chanterelles. All false truffles have a symbiotic mycorrhizal relationship with the trees and shrubs they coexist with: the trees give them sugars and they provide the trees with more water and nutrients. Whereas the interior of the true truffle is marbled and solid, the interior of the false truffle is mostly not marbled like the true truffle, but instead most will have a pulp like interior. Some species will have a black and white appearance or a brown color other species will have a white interior . The interior will differ according to species. Although there are no known poisonous species of false truffle, many are unpalatable.

References

Basidiomycota Fungus common names {{Basidiomycota-stub