''Pachyphloeus depressus'' is a species of ascomycete
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 forms
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 ...
-like
fruitbodies. It is found in southwestern China, where it has been reported from
Qiaojia County,
Yunnan Province
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
, and
Huili County,
Sichuan Province. These counties are both near the
Jinsha River. Fruitbodies of the fungus are smooth and greenish-brown—distinctive features in the genus ''
Pachyphloeus
''Pachyphloeus'' is a genus of Ascomycete fungi (Pezizales, Pezizaceae) that forms hypogeous fruit bodies, aka truffles. ''Pachyphloeus citrinus'' is known as the "berry truffle" and ''Pachyphloeus austro-oregonensis'' is known as the "southern ...
''. They measure in diameter, and have a rubbery texture. When ripe, the odor of the
flesh is similar to burned potatoes.
Spores are spherical, measuring 15.7–20 µm with coarse rod-like spines up to 2.5 µm on the surface. The fungus has been called the "green female truffle" because of its superficial resemblance to the locally common species ''
Tuber pseudohimalayense''.
References
External links
*
Fungi described in 2015
Fungi of China
Pezizaceae
{{Pezizomycetes-stub