Tuber sinoalbidum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuber sinoalbidum |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tuber
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| Species: |
sinoalbidum
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.svg) |
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| Known only from Sichuan Province, China | |
Tuber sinoalbidum is a special type of truffle. Truffles are a kind of underground fungus. This truffle belongs to the family Tuberaceae. Scientists first described this species in 2011. It is only found in China. Fresh Tuber sinoalbidum truffles are whitish on the outside. Their inside is also a similar light color. These truffles can grow up to about 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) wide.
Contents
What is Tuber sinoalbidum?
How was this truffle discovered?
Scientists officially named Tuber sinoalbidum as a new species in 2011. They published their findings in a science magazine called Mycotaxon. A farmer found the first samples of this truffle in 2007. This happened in Panzhihua City, which is in Sichuan Province, China.
What does its name mean?
The name sinoalbidum tells us two things about this truffle. The first part, sino, comes from a Latin word meaning "China." The second part, albidum, is also from Latin and means "white." So, its name means "white truffle from China."
What does Tuber sinoalbidum look like?
Size and outer skin
The part of the truffle we see, called the fruit body, is usually round. It is whitish in color. These truffles are typically between 2 and 4.5 centimeters (0.8 to 1.8 inches) wide. The outside surface can be smooth. Sometimes, it has very tiny bumps that look like warts.
The outer skin of the truffle is called the peridium. It is very thin, about 200 to 250 micrometers thick. (A micrometer is super tiny, much smaller than a millimeter!) This skin has two different layers. The outer layer is about 50 to 100 micrometers thick. It is made of small, light brown cells. The inner layer is thicker, about 150 to 200 micrometers thick. It is made of tiny, clear threads called hyphae. These threads are tangled together.
Inside the truffle
The inside part of the truffle that holds the spores is called the gleba. When the truffle is fully grown, the gleba is whitish or grayish-white. It has many thin veins running through it. These veins are whitish to light brown.
The truffle has special cells called asci. These cells hold the spores. Asci are usually round and contain one to four spores. Sometimes, they can have five spores. They are about 45–60 by 60–80 micrometers in size. Each ascus sits on a small stalk.
Truffle spores
The spores of Tuber sinoalbidum are shaped like tiny ellipses. When they are young, they are clear. As they get older, they turn brown or yellowish-brown. They are about 25–37.5 by 17.5–25 micrometers in size. The surface of the spores looks like a mesh or net. It has ridges and spines that can be up to 3.5–5 micrometers high.
How is it different from other truffles?
There is another truffle called Tuber huidongense. It also grows in China. Its spores look similar to Tuber sinoalbidum spores. However, Tuber huidongense has a brown outer surface. Its inside gleba is blackish when it is mature. These differences help scientists tell the two species apart.
