Trial field key to the species of PHOLIOTA in the Pacific Northwest

TRUFFLES and FALSE TRUFFLES in the Pacific Northwest

There is no need for Pacific Northwest Key Council to create keys for the underground fungi known as Truffles and False Truffles. The North American Truffling Society, based in Corvallis, Oregon, has done all the work for us. Oregon is particularly wealthy in genera and species of truffles.

Truffles are fruitbodies that typically develop fully underground, and the term is often restricted to Ascomycetes which produce their spores in microscopic asci. The term false truffle is often used for fruitbodies that develop fully underground but produce their spores on microscopic basidia. The North American Truffling Society website has a key to Ascomycete genera which gives some hints at the beginning on how to distinguish the two groups without a microscope. This key is to the worldwide genera, but can be used in conjunction the the list of Pacific Northwest genera on the site. The key to Basidiomycete genera is for North America, and again can be used with the list of Pacific Northwest genera.

Identification of truffles and false truffles is easier to do if you use a microscope. There is a trial key on the site to the species of Rhizopogon, which requires a microscope. Another very good resource is the following book.

Castellano, M., James M. Trappe, Zane Maser, and Chris Maser. 1989. Key to Spores of the Genera of Hypogeous Fungi of North Temperate Forests with special reference to animal mycophagy. Illustrated by Jackie Atzet, Wendy Madar, & Gretchen Bracher. Mad River Press, Eureka.

The most recent addition is a well-illustrated field guide.

Trappe, Matt, Frank Evans and James Trappe. 2005. NATS Field Guide To Selected North American Truffles and Truffle-like Fungi Published and distributed by the North Americal Truffling Society, Corvallis, Oregon.

The website of the North American Truffling Society is

http://www.natruffling.org