''Tuber macrosporum'', commonly known as the smooth black truffle,
is a species of edible
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 ...
in the family
Tuberaceae. Found in Europe, and common in central Italy, the truffle was
described as new to science by Italian mycologist
Carlo Vittadini
Carlo Vittadini (11 June 1800, in Bertonico – 20 November 1865, in Milan) was an Italian doctor and mycologist.
Life
He studied in Milan and at the University of Pavia, where he attended the classes given by Giuseppe L. Moretti (1782–1 ...
in 1831.
The truffles are roughly spherical to irregular in shape, and typically measure in diameter (rarely are they greater than ). The surface color ranges from reddish brown to rust to blackish. Warts on the fruit body surface are low, so that the truffle appears fairly smooth. The truffle
flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscles, fats and other loose connective tissues, but ...
is purplish brown to grey-brown with thin white veins.
It has an intense garlic-like odor similar to the Italian white truffle (''
Tuber magnatum'').
Host plants of ''T. macrosporum'' include
poplars,
hazel,
linden, and
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
s.
See also
*
List of ''Tuber'' species
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4000112
Edible fungi
Fungi described in 1831
Fungi of Europe
macrosporum
Truffles (fungi)