Globular in shape but often flattened and very irregular with pale yellow or pale grey rind or even ochreous with red-brown blotches, smooth or with a very fine down more readily found in the younger truffles. The flesh is characterised by many clear highly branched veins and varies from a pale flesh colour to red-brown. The spores are reticulate. It may grow as large as a tennis ball but is usually the size of a walnut or hazelnut. It can be found all year round but is gathered most frequently in the first months of the year under pines, larches, oaks, hazels, poplars. Its garlicky odour, sometimes particularly penetrating when it is ripe, tends to exclude it from the most prized species.