Simple spore sac, with an apical hole [puffballs]


 

At maturity, a fruitbody of a fungus in this sub-group is essentially a spore sac, either roughly spherical or with an extended base (or pseudo-stem) and then somewhat pear-shaped. The spore sac holds the powdery spores within a bundle of entangled filaments (much like a wad of cotton-wool). The wall of the spore sac is thin and flexible with an apical hole through which the spores can puff out when the sac is compressed (e.g. by a raindrop, a falling twig, a finger) – hence the common name puffball. When the pressure eases, the compressed ‘cotton-wool’ expands, restoring the sac to its pre-puff shape and so allowing future puffs. Without the ‘cotton wool’, the spore sac would stay compressed and puff no more. When present, a pseudo-stem may be quite short or constitute more than half the height of the fruitbody. A pseudo-stem feels and (if cut open) looks much like foam plastic and is free of spores. It simply serves to raise the rounder, spore-filled upper part. In some species a membrane (or diaphragm) separates the spore-filled upper from the sterile base. 

 

The outer surface of the immature fruitbody may be fairly smooth or with a rough coating (e.g. of granules or pyramidal warts). With age the rough coating erodes away, though often you will find remnants on the underside of a fruitbody since this is less exposed to erosion.

 

At maturity the fruitbody may be loose or remain attached to the substrate by a root-like bundle of fungal filaments.

 

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

A pear-shaped fruitbody: Lycoperdon.

Lower half with a collar (or casing) that consists of soil grains glued together: Disciseda.

 

Warning

If the spore sac sits atop a stem check the fungi in Other puffballs & the like. In one genus the stem may be buried.

 


Simple spore sac, with an apical hole [puffballs]

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Discussion

Teresa wrote:
Yesterday
What size was this Tina? It looks like a Bovista sp growing in a grassy area - maybe I'm mistaken....

Lycoperdon sp.
Teresa wrote:
29 Jun 2024
Suggestion only - Bovista sp

Bovista
Heino1 wrote:
20 Jun 2024
Puffballs such as this have very thin skins, easily depressed. If depressed enough spores are forced to puff out of the hole. In these puffing puffballs the skin that you often see is simply the inner of two layers. The outer layer is evanescent and consists of a layer of granules, warts or spines (depending on species). The outer layer is easily eroded but may persist on the lower, more protected area. In your photos you some traces, the greyer areas on the dark brown surface. Initially the whole puffball would have been covered with that greyish 'fuzz'. I can't tell for sure whether the fuzz consists of granules, warts or spines. I'm inclined to think either short, broad pyramidal spines or perhaps what gives the appearance of a single, broad pyramid is a group of 4-5 narrower pyramidal spines, each bending a little so as to make the tips of those 4-5 join. You see an example of the latter here: https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/4300540.

Bovista
4 May 2024
awaiting outcome of sample testing to confirm result

Bovista
Heino1 wrote:
25 Jan 2024
I won't argue if you confirm it as such :)

Lycoperdon sp.

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Lycoperdon sp.

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