Location:
Tshane, Botswana
Background:
The typical diet of the Batswana (people of Botswana) include a lot of sorghum and maize. Since water for irrigating fields is limited, most agriculture consists of livestock and simple, drought-tolerant plants like peanuts and gourds. There are several foods I’ve had here that I’ve never seen anywhere else, such as the morama, a big underground tuber that has a high water content and legumes that are edible. Last night though, I discovered by accident what many consider a local delicacy.
Situation:
As I was excavating the roots of a Grewia flava bush at the field site, I noticed a strong but pleasant smell. Digging around the finer roots towards the surface, I uncovered what looked like a weird potato. I asked a local man who was helping with the research about them, who told me they were truffles and that they were delicious! He also told me that in Kalahari mythology, these edible fungi are thought to be the eggs of the lightening bird, perhaps because they often appeared after storms.
Assignment:
That fungus was the best I’ve ever had!! What is it? See if you can research the Grewia flava bush a bit more for me. In all the other material I’ve read about it, there was no mention of this delicious truffle? Is a mushroom, or truly a truffle. I never knew the difference anyway. Is there a scientific name for it? Does it grow on other trees? Do you think this fungus is in a symbiotic relationship with this tree? I wonder how that might affect our research?
Pat here:
Your truffle probably came from the Terfeziaceas or Terfezia pfeilii plant. This truffle is resembles a big potato. It grows on or dark grey sands of the omurambas after a good rainy season and can be up to 20c in diameter.