''Terfezia'' (
Berber: Tirfas) is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
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'', '' Pe ...
-like
fungi
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 ...
within the
Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are
commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the
type genus
In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name.
Zoological nomenclature
According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal f ...
of the family
Terfeziaceae
The Terfeziaceae, or desert truffles, is a family of truffles ( ber, script=latn, Tirfas, ar, كمأ, Kam', ckb, دنبلان, Domalan, he, כמהת הנגב, kmehat hanegev) endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean Region, N ...
,
although
phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
analysis suggests that it nests within the
Pezizaceae.
The ''Dictionary of the Fungi'' (10th edition, 2008) suggests that the genus contains 12 species.
A recent (2011) publication used
molecular analysis to show that the American ''Terfezia'' species had been incorrectly
classified, and moved ''Terfezia spinosa'' and ''Terfezia longii'' to ''
Mattirolomyces'' and ''
Stouffera'', respectively; as a result, no ''Terfezia'' species are known to exist in North America.
Israeli agricultural scientists have been attempting to domesticate ''T. boudieri'' into a commercial crop.
Species
,
Index Fungorum
''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of M ...
accepts 34 species in ''Terfezia'':
*''
Terfezia albida
''Terfezia'' ( Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phyloge ...
''
*''
Terfezia alsheikhii
''Terfezia'' ( Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phyloge ...
''
*''
Terfezia aphroditis
''Terfezia'' ( Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phyloge ...
''
*''
Terfezia arenaria
''Terfezia'' (Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phylogen ...
''
*''
Terfezia berberiodora
''Terfezia'' (Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phylogen ...
''
*''
Terfezia boudieri
''Terfezia'' ( Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phyloge ...
''
*''
Terfezia cadevalli
''Terfezia'' (Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phylogen ...
''
*''
Terfezia canariensis
''Terfezia'' (Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phylogen ...
''
*''
Terfezia castanea
''Terfezia'' ( Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phyloge ...
''
*''
Terfezia claveryi''
*''
Terfezia decaryi''
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Terfezia deflersii''
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Terfezia eliocrocae''
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Terfezia eremita''
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Terfezia extremadurensis''
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Terfezia fanfani''
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Terfezia hafizi''
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Terfezia hanotauxii''
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Terfezia hispanica''
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Terfezia indica''
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Terfezia leptoderma''
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Terfezia lutescens''
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Terfezia magnusii''
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Terfezia mellerionis''
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Terfezia metaxasi''
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Terfezia olbiensis''
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Terfezia ovalispora''
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Terfezia pallida''
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Terfezia pini''
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Terfezia pseudoleptoderma''
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Terfezia rosea''
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Terfezia schweinfurthii''
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Terfezia sinuosa''
*''
Terfezia transcaucasica
''Terfezia'' (Berber: Tirfas) is a genus of truffle-like fungi within the Pezizaceae family. ''Terfezia'' species are commonly known as desert truffles. Some authorities consider this the type genus of the family Terfeziaceae, although phylogene ...
''
*''
Terfezia zeynebiae''
References
Pezizaceae
Pezizales genera
{{Pezizomycetes-stub