Common Puffball (Fungi of Northern Maine)

Common Puffball

Lycoperdon perlatum

Summary ⁶

Lycoperdon perlatum, popularly known as the common puffball, warted puffball, gem-studded puffball, or the devil's snuff-box, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae. A widespread species with a cosmopolitan distribution, it is a medium-sized puffball with a round fruit body tapering to a wide stalk, and dimensions of 1.5 to 6 cm (0.6 to 2.4 in) wide by 3 to 7 cm (1.2 to 2.8 in) tall. It is off-white with a top covered in short spiny bumps or "jewels", which are easily rubbed off...

Taxon biology ⁷

Lycoperdon perlatum, commonly known as the common puffball, devil’s snuffbox and gem-studded puffball, is roughly the shape of an inverted pear. The stem is fairly large and the top is rounded. 2.5-7 cm wide and 3-7.5 cm high. Small whitish warts cover the fruiting body when young, fall off with age and leave scars. A large perforation is found in the center of the puffball that facilitates spore dispersal via rain or wind. White and fleshy when young but changing eventually to an olive color with brown spore dust. Spores 3.5-4.5 um round, minutely spiny. Capillital threads olive in KOH (3-7um wide).

The common puffball is located throughout America and Europe. In temperate regions it grows in the summer and fall. However, in warmer habitats like California and the Gulf of Mexico it grows nearly year round. Usually found in deciduous woodlands, but also can be located on roadsides or urban areas, where it grows on soil, decayed wood and occasionally on wood-chip mulch.

Lycoperdon perlatum is reported to be edible when young, but needs to be avoided after its white color fades. It can be confused with young, unexpanded fruitbodies of toxic fungus species such as some Amanita species . Fruitbodies of L. perlatum can accumulate lead and mercury; inhalation of spores of this and other puffballs can cause a lung disease known as lycoperdonosis.

Interestingly the genus name Lycoperdon translates as “Wolf fart.”

Morphology ⁸

Disperso o en grupos pequeños.

Sources and Credits

More Info

Range Map

iNat Map

‹ › ×

Common Puffball

Summary 6

Taxon biology 7

Morphology 8