Puffballs & the like


At maturity, the fruitbodies of the fungi in this group generally contain prodigious quantities of powdery spores. The fruitbodies may be spherical to pear-shaped or somewhat columnar in shape and range from less than a centimetre to over 30 centimetres in extent. Spores are mostly some shade of brown, from pale yellow-brown to dark brown, depending on species.

 

Almost all species produce their fruitbodies on the ground, a few produce them on on wood.

 

In the following hints you see examples of useful identification features and a few of the more commonly seen genera in which at least some species (not necessarily all) show those features.

 

Hints

Spore mass lilac: Calvatia.

Fruitbody over 30 centimetres in diameter: Calvatia.

 

Warning

If you have a flattish fruitbody, with purplish-black powdery spores inside a thin, brittle crust - check the slime mould Fuligo septica.

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It's relatively common for people to upload sightings which may actually contain multiple species.E.g. photos of a plant that may also have captured an insect on one of the leaves OR a photo containin...


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Discussion

Heinol wrote:
6 Jun 2025
Yes, either a Bovista or a Lycoperdon.

Lycoperdon sp.
GHJacob wrote:
19 May 2025
Upside down Sclerodrema sp

Scleroderma sp.
VanessaC wrote:
18 May 2025
I have no idea what this is.

Scleroderma sp.
Heinol wrote:
8 May 2025
This is all that's left after the spores have been blown or washed away.

Scleroderma sp.
Teresa wrote:
29 Apr 2025
Scleroderma sp

Scleroderma sp.
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