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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Teresa wrote:

1 Jul 2024

Given the location and my own observations within this area, these may be L. pyriforme.
Usually after lifting some of these we have usually found tree roots beneath them - difficult to ID from pics

Lycoperdon sp.

Bushrevival wrote:

1 Jul 2024

On earth with some leaf litter.

Lycoperdon sp.

Teresa wrote:

1 Jul 2024

Was this in earth or on wood?

Lycoperdon sp.

Pam wrote:

6 Oct 2020

Suspect that this is a Lycoperdon perlatum. However as not sure safer to leave it with the genus name. My humbel apologies for having taken so long to identify this sighting for you.

Lycoperdon sp.

Pam wrote:

16 Feb 2020

These fungi often come up with days of rain, even during summer. They tend to be roundish as opposed to the Lycoperdon puffballs which tend to be pear shaped. They often go a shade of brown as they mature and will also often lose those tiny warts (ornamentation) on their surface. Spores are released by a small central pore (ostiole) on the top of the fungus. They are saprotrophic, that is they break down dead organic matter recycling the nutrients back into the substrate.

Bovista sp.

Simple spore sac, with an apical hole [puffballs]

Simple spore sac, with an apical hole [puffballs]

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