''Cyttaria hariotii'' is an

edible mushroom Edible mushrooms are the fleshy fruit bodies of numerous species of macrofungi (fungi that bear fruiting structures large enough to be seen with the naked eye). Edibility may be defined by criteria including the absence of poisonous effect ...

commonly called llao llao, llaullao and pan de indio. The fungus, found in

Patagonia Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...

, southern

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

and

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

, is

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The ent ...

on ''

Nothofagus ''Nothofagus'', also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 43 species of trees and shrubs native to the Southern Hemisphere, found across southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and east and southeast Australia, New Zealand, New Guin ...

'' (southern beech) trees. The fungus affects its

hosts A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County * Host Island, in the Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica People * ...

internally in its

sap Sap is a fluid transported in the xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a s ...

ducts; the tree defends itself by generating

gall Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or war ...

s to bypass the sap blockages. The fungus expands out of the gall to other parts of the tree. That grows in the branches of the trees as if it was a fruit. This one is a great edible mushroom of sweet flavor with which desserts, sweets and even icecreams are made.

References

* ''Flora del Archipiélago Fueguino y Patagonia'', 2nd Edition, Buenos Aires, 2006, * ''Patagonia and Antarctica, Life and Color'', María Luisa Petraglia de Bozón y Norberto Domingo de Bolzón, Buenos Aires, 2005, * Alfonso, J. 1938. ''Los Bosques de Tierra del Fuego''. En: ''Revista Dirección Nacional de Bosques'', N°47, Vol I:115-119 * Guerrido C. & Fernández D., 2007, ''Flora Patagonia'', Fantástico Sur, * Rothkugel, M. 1916; ''Los Bosques Patagónicos''. Ministerio de Agricultura. Buenos Aires

External links

Leotiomycetes Fungi of South America Edible fungi Parasitic fungi Ecology of Patagonia Fungi described in 1888 Fungus species {{Leotiomycetes-stub