Tuber oregonense

Tuber oregonense, commonly known as the Oregon white truffle, is a species of truffle in the genus Tuber. The species was described as new to science in 2010. The fruit bodies are roughly spherical to irregular in shape, and resemble small potatoes up to 5 cm (2 in) in diameter. Inside the truffle is the gleba, which is initially white before it becomes a marbled tan color. The large, often thick-walled, and strongly ornamented spores are produced in large spherical asci. The species is found on the western coast of North America, from northern California to southern British Columbia west of the Cascade Range. A mycorrhizal fungus, it grows in a symbiotic association with Douglas-fir. It overlaps in distribution with the closely related T. gibbosum, but they have different growing seasons: T. oregonense typically appears from October through March, while T. gibbosum grows from January to June. The truffle is highly prized for its taste and aroma. Some individuals have claimed success i......read more on Wikipedia.