Highly prized as food in continental Europe, particularly in France and Italy. Occur in open forests mainly under Quercus. Ascocarps are subterranean and ascospores are liberated only when the ascocarp decays or is broken by animals. Trained dogs and pigs locate the truffles and dig them up. People then gather them. Most U.S. species produce small ascocarps not used as human food.
