Systematic Study On Tuber In China

Tuber Micheli: Fr. is a group of important hypogeous ascomycete fungi, which form ectotrophic mycorrhizal association with many trees. Many species of the genus are edible and have been used as an expensive addition to a gourmet meal. So much study has been done on the group in North America and Europe, and several species are extensively cultivated on a commercial scale in many countries of Mediterranean Europe. On the contrary, the work on the group just began in China several years ago, for example, the first species of the genus was described in 1985. In last several years, many species were reported in China, but no systematic study has been done, the quantity of the species varies in different articles, and there is no preliminary understanding on the group in China.In this study, most specimens deposited in herbaria in China have been systematically studied by classical taxonomy and partly molecular method. Fifteen species are described in detail, including 11 named species (T. borchii, T. californicum, T. foetidum, T. indicum, T. liaotongense, T. liui, T. lyonii, T. pseudoexcavatum, T. puberulum, T. rufum and T. taiyuanense), 2 new species (T. leptoperidium and T. verrucosurri) and 2 uncertain species (T. sp.-l and T. sp.-2).The names of the Chinese species of Tuber appearing in literatures were discussed. According to relevant literatures (specimens were not studied), 5 species (T. asa, T. dryophilum, T. gigantosporum, T. huidongense and T. maculatuni) had the support of specimens cited. Eight species (T. aestivum, T. excavatum, T. himalayense, T. pseudohimalayense, T. rapaeodorum, T. shearii, T. sinense and T. xizangense) needed further confirmation according to relevant literatures and study on cited specimens. In addition, 5 species (T. formosanum, T. huangshawanense, T. mindense, T. tianshanense and T. turbinatosporum) were invalidly published and should not be used, 2 species (T. brumale and T. oligospermum) are not found to distribute in China in present time.It is reported that the species of Tuber distribute in 13 provinces of China, mainly on the zone from northeast China to southwest China. In other capacious regions, Tuber species are seldomly reported, and furthersystematic research should be carried out.