Cyttaria espinosae
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| Digüeñe | |
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| Cyttaria espinosae from Chile growing in a tree branch | |
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| Species: | C. espinosae
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| Binomial name | |
| Cyttaria espinosae | |
Cyttaria espinosae (Lloyd), also known by its local name Digüeñe, Lihueñe or Quideñe, is an orange-white coloured and edible ascomycete fungus native to south-central Chile. The Digüeñe is a strict and specific parasite of Nothofagus, mainly Nothofagus obliqua trees and cause canker-like galls on branches from which the fruiting bodies emerge between spring and early summer. The pitted surface generates air turbulence, preventing a build-up of static air around the fruitbodies, thus facilitating wind-borne spore dispersal. In Chilean cuisine, the Digüeñe is usually consumed fresh in salads or fried with scrambled eggs.
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