Figure 1: Gem-studded puffball thallus                Figure 2: L. perlatum spore mass

Name: Lycoperdon perlatum

Common Name: Gem-studded puffball

Family: Agaricaceae

Collection Date: 15 October 2016

Habitat: grows terrestrially in woods and grassy areas.

Location: James H. Barrow Field Station

Description: Shaped like an inverted pear with a prominent stem and roundish to flattened top. Covered with whitish spines.

Key Used: 
Arora, D. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified
Keying steps:

Introduction key pg. 52

Basidiomycetes … puffballs and earthstars, pg. 677

1. Fruiting body not ruptured into starlike rays … 2

2. Spore mass not containing peridioles… 4

4. peridioles absent… 5

5. skin thick or thin; spore mass white when young… 6

6. Fruitnig boyd not thick-skinned… 7

7. Spore mass not with prominent veins… 8

8. sterile base present… 9

9. Fruiting body small to medium sized… Lycoperdon & Allies, pg. 690

1. Fruiting body not dark brown when young… 2

2. usually terrestrial… 4

4. Much taller than iti is broad… 5

5. Rooting base absent or fruiting body smaller… 6

6. Not orange or bright yellow… 7

7. Fruiting body not lavender tinged when young… 8

8. Typically growing in woods… 11

11. spines present but shorter and sparser… 13

13. Very common and widespread… 14

14. Mature spore mass olive-brown to brown… Lycoperdon perlatum.

 

Figure 3: S. citrinum thallus; Figure 4: S. citrinum spore mass

Name: Scleroderma citrinum

Common Name: Common earthball

Family: Sclerodermataceae

Collection Date: 15 October 2016

Habitat: Mycorrizhal with hardwoods and conifers. Often found in mossy areas and sometimes on rotting wood.

Location: James H. Barrow Field Station

Description: Round to flattened with a hard scaly surface that is yellow to yellow-brown. The skin is whitish when sliced. Spore mass is thick and white when young, but turns black from the center outwards as it ages.

Key Used: 
Arora, D. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified
Keying Steps:

Basidiomycetes … puffballs and earthstars, pg. 677

1. Fruiting body not ruptured into starlike rays … 2

2. Spore mass not containing peridioles… 4

4. peridioles absent… 5

5. Spore case typically hard… Scleroderma, pg. 707

1. Spore mass interior not divided into large irregular chambers… 2

2. Fruiting above ground… 3

3. Peridium thinner (1-4mm)… 4

4. Fruiting body has no stalk… 5

5. Peridium covered with prominent inherent rosette-like scale… 6

6. Peridium fairly thick (1-4mm)… S. citrinum

Figure 5: Two L. foetidum thalli; Figure 6: L. foetidum spore mass

Name: Lycoperdon foetidum

Common Name: Gem-studded puffball

Family: Agaricaceae

Collection Date: 15 October 2016

Habitat: grows terrestrially in woods and grassy areas.

Location: James H. Barrow Field Station

Description: Shaped like an inverted pear with a prominent stem and roundish to flattened top. Covered with whitish spines.

Key Used: 
Arora, D. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified
Keying Steps
Introduction key pg. 52

Basidiomycetes … puffballs and earthstars, pg. 677

1. Fruiting body not ruptured into starlike rays … 2

2. Spore mass not containing peridioles… 4

4. peridioles absent… 5

5. skin thick or thin; spore mass white when young… 6

6. Fruitnig boyd not thick-skinned… 7

7. Spore mass not with prominent veins… 8

8. Sterile base present… 9

9. Fruiting body small to medium sized… Lycoperdon & Allies, pg. 690

1. Exterior of fruiting body covered with dark brown to black spines when young… L. foetidum