Abstract
BackgroundThere are estimated 180–220 species of Tuber described in the world, but the diversity of the genus in Taiwan is poorly known, with only two species recorded, i.e., Tuber formosanum and T. furfuraceum. During our survey of hypogenous fungi in Taiwan, a whitish truffle belongs to Puberulum clade was collected from roots of Keteleeria fortunei var. cyclolepis in central Taiwan and appeared to differ from the two recorded species.ResultsThe whitish truffle is herein described as a new species Tuber elevatireticulatum, which is distinguished from closely resembled Asian whitish truffles species like Tuber thailandicum, T. panzhihuanense, T. latisporum and T. sinopuberulum by the association with Keteleeria host, small light brown ascocarps with a dark brown gleba, dark brownish and elliptical ascospores ornamented with a prominently raised alveolate reticulum. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of both ITS and LSU loci clearly supports T. elevatireticulatum as a new species without any significant incongruence.ConclusionsThe whitish truffle is herein described as a new species T. elevatireticulatum based on the evidence from morphology and DNA sequences. T. elevatireticulatum is the first scientific record of whitish truffle in Taiwan.
Highlights
There are estimated 180–220 species of Tuber described in the world, but the diversity of the genus in Taiwan is poorly known, with only two species recorded, i.e., Tuber formosanum and T. furfuraceum
Ascospores broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, rarely subglobose and globose, with mature ascospore ratio ranging 0.2–53% (n = 1000), yellowish brown to dark brown, with a wall 2.5–5 μm thick, 32.5–50 × 20–32.5 μm from 1-ascospored asci, 20–48 × 20–32.5 μm from 2-ascospored asci, 20–40 × 20–27.5 μm from 3-ascospored asci, 22.5– 35 × 17.5–25 μm from 4-ascospored asci (Q = 1.0–1.75, Q = 1.30 ± 0.19), ornamented with irregular reticulations 2.5–7.5 μm high, with meshes varying in size, mostly 3-4(-5) across the ascospore width
Tuber elevatireticulatum is distinguished from other whitish truffle species by the only species associated with Keteleeria host, its small light brown ascocarps with a dark brown gleba and brown, ellipsoid ascospores with a prominent raised alveolate reticulum
Summary
There are estimated 180–220 species of Tuber described in the world, but the diversity of the genus in Taiwan is poorly known, with only two species recorded, i.e., Tuber formosanum and T. furfuraceum. True truffles, belonging to the genus Tuber (Tuberaceae, Pezizales, Pezizomycetes), produce hypogeous ascocarps, which are formed in soil or sometimes within layers of leaf litter. They have lost the ability to actively discharge ascospores (Bonito and Smith 2016). They are symbiotic fungi that develop association with fine roots of specific host trees The unique aroma makes some species greatly sought after as high-end culinary ingredients throughout the world, especially in Europe (Hall et al 2007). The scarcity and irreplaceably scent of French Périgord black truffle (T. melanosporum Vittad.) and Italian Alba white truffle (T. magnatum Pico.) render
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