![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
Abstract
Kalapuya is described as a new, monotypic truffle genus in the Morchellaceae known only from the Pacific northwestern United States. Its relationship to other hypogeous genera within Morchellaceae is explored by phylogenetic analysis of the ribosomal LSU and EF1α protein coding region. The type species, K. brunnea, occurs in Douglas-fir forests up to about 50 y old on the west slope of the Cascade Range in Oregon and in the Coastal Ranges of Oregon and northern California. It has a roughened, warty, reddish brown to brown peridium, a solid whitish gleba that develops grayish brown mottling as the spores mature, and produces a cheesy-garlicky odor at maturity. Its smooth, ellipsoid spores resemble those of Morchella spp. but are much larger. The four hypogeous genera known in the Morchellaceae, Kalapuya, Fischerula, Imaia and Leucangium, are distinct from the epigeous genera Morchella and Verpa, but it is uncertain whether they resulted from a single transition to a hypogeous fruiting habit or from multiple independent transitions. Kalapuya, locally known as the Oregon brown truffle, has been commercially harvested for culinary use.
We are grateful for the aid of Starker Forests Inc. for granting permission to collect specimens at their tree farms and their continuing support of mycorrhiza research at Oregon State University. We thank the many members of the North American Truffling Society who generously contributed specimens for study, Kimberly Kittredge who suggested the name Kalapuya and Dr David Lewis for guidance in spelling of that name and inquiries about possible use of truffles by tribal members. Drs Karen Hansen, Don Pfister, Matthew Smith and Kerry O’Donnell provided useful advice on taxonomic placement in addition to making available to us unpublished sequences. Dr Michael Castellano provided laboratory facilities and technical assistance. GB was supported through NSF No. DBI-0098534. We appreciate the valuable comments provided by the reviewers of this manuscript.
