Tuberaceee 



X 475 



TUBER NIVEUM or TERFEZIA LEONIS. 



By courtesy Rev. A. B. Langlois. 

 A. Plant. B. Interior (section), c. Asci. 



FAMILY. TUBERA'CE-ffi. 



Subterranean; ascophore irregularly globose, usually large, not rup- Tuber, 

 turing. 



To this family belongs the Truffle 



of commerce renowned for its fla- (Plate CLIII.) 



voring qualities. It has not yet 

 been found in America, though 

 several fungi are ignorantly bought 

 in our markets under that name ; 

 notably Coprinus comatus or maned 

 mushroom. The writer has fre- 

 quently been informed with all the 

 logical force of genuine market- 

 women that this was the real Truffle, 

 because they raised it themselves. 



Until quite recently but one 

 species of Truffle has been reported 



as growing in America. This, Tuber niveum Desf. or Terfezia leonis 

 Tul. was found by Rev. A. B. Langlois, St. Martinville, La. He re- 

 ported it as growing plentifully, buried or nearly so in the red sand land 

 along the Red river near Natchitoches. He writes me: "The people 

 where it is found are looking for it with great care and are eating it with 

 great relish. I had occasion to eat it once and I found it delicious." 

 He kindly sent the original illustration from which the accompanying 

 drawing was made. It was taken from Jour. Myc., January, 1887, J. 

 B. Ellis, who first published a description of the American representa- 

 tive of the species. He describes it as "subglobose, up to full two 

 inches in diameter, strongly plicate or furrowed below, nearly smooth 

 and pale reddish-brown outside, marbled-white within and of compact 

 texture much like a potato, but softer. When first dug from the ground 

 the color is pure white, the reddish tint being due to exposure to the 

 air. The asci obovate or subglobose, 75 80x60 /O/A. Each contains 

 eight globose spores, thickly clothed with obtuse, elongated, wart-like 

 tubercles and about 2Op in diameter. The home of the white Truffle is 



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