Tuberaceae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuberaceae |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Pezizomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Tuberaceae Dumort. (1822) |
| Type genus | |
| Tuber P.Micheli ex F.H.Wigg. (1780)
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| Genera | |
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Choiromyces |
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The Tuberaceae are a family of fungi. These fungi are special because they form a partnership with plants. This partnership is called mycorrhizal.
This family of fungi started to grow around the same time as the first flowering plants. This was during the Jurassic period, about 140 to 180 million years ago. The Tuberaceae family includes the famous "true" truffles.
What are Tuberaceae?
Tuberaceae is a group of fungi. They belong to a larger group called Pezizales. These fungi live underground, often near the roots of trees. They help trees get nutrients from the soil. In return, the trees give the fungi sugars.
The Belgian botanist Barthélemy Charles Joseph du Mortier first described this family in 1822. He helped us understand these unique fungi.
The Famous Truffles
The most well-known members of the Tuberaceae family are truffles. Truffles are a type of edible fungus. They grow underground and have a strong, unique smell. This smell helps animals find them.
People often use trained dogs or pigs to find truffles. Truffles are considered a delicacy in cooking. They are very expensive because they are hard to find.
How Truffles Grow
Truffles grow in a special way. They form a close connection with the roots of certain trees. These trees include oak, hazel, and poplar. The truffle gets its food from the tree. The tree gets help absorbing water and minerals.
This underground growth protects truffles. It also helps them spread their spores. Spores are like seeds for fungi.
Studying Tuberaceae
Scientists have learned a lot about Tuberaceae. In 1997, a scientist named Kerry O'Donnell studied their ribosomal DNA. This helped to show how different fungi are related.
Another mycologist, Mary Cloyd Burnley Stifler, also studied this family. She collected many samples of these fungi. These samples are kept in special collections called herbariums. They help other scientists learn more about fungi.
