''Lycoperdon marginatum'', commonly known as the peeling puffball, is a type of

puffball Puffballs are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that bursts on impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores when mature. Puffballs belong to the division Basidiomycota and encompass several genera, including ''Calvatia'', ''Ca ...

mushroom in the genus ''

Lycoperdon ''Lycoperdon'' is a genus of puffball mushrooms. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 50 species. In general, it contains the smaller species such as the pear-shaped puffball and the gem-studded puffball. It was formerly cl ...

''. A common species, it is found in Europe and North America, where it grows on the ground. It is characterized by the way that the spiny outer layer peels off in sheets.

Taxonomy

The species was first described scientifically in 1839 by Vittadini.

Molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...

analysis places it the species in the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

''Lycoperdon'' of the genus ''

'', along with '' L. perlatum'' and '' L. norvegicum''. It is commonly known as the peeling puffball.

Description

The

fruit bodies The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...

of ''Lycoperdon marginatum'' are roughly spherical when young, becoming flattened and more pear-shaped in maturity, and have dimensions of wide. A short, tapering stalk holds the fruit body. Initially white, the surface of the

peridium The peridium is the protective layer that encloses a mass of spores in fungi. This outer covering is a distinctive feature of gasteroid fungi. Description Depending on the species, the peridium may vary from being paper-thin to thick and rubber ...

(spore case) is densely covered with short spines; the spines eventually fall off in irregular sheets, exposing the smooth, brown underlying surface. Mature fruit bodies form a small opening at the top through which spores are released. The internal spore-bearing tissue, the

gleba Gleba (, from Latin ''glaeba, glēba'', "lump") is the fleshy spore-bearing inner mass of certain fungi such as the puffball or stinkhorn. The gleba is a solid mass of spores, generated within an enclosed area within the sporocarp. The continu ...

, is initially white and firm, but becomes greenish-brown and then greyish-brown and powdery at the mushroom matures. The

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s are spherical, covered with minute warts, and measure 3.5–4.5

μm The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

. It has yellowish-brown

capillitium Capillitium (pl. capillitia) is a mass of sterile fibers within a fruit body interspersed among spores. It is found in Mycetozoa (slime molds) and gasteroid fungi of the fungal subdivision Agaricomycotina The subdivision Agaricomycotina, also kn ...

threads that have a few pores or

septa The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five coun ...

, and measure 6–7 μm wide. There have been conflicting reports regarding the puffball's edibility, with some listing it as safe to eat (but insubstantial) and others describing it as

poisonous Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...

. The species is used in Mexico to produce auditory hallucinations, although chemical analysis of fruit bodies has not revealed the presence of any substances that would cause this effect. ''

Lycoperdon echinatum ''Lycoperdon echinatum'', commonly known as the spiny puffball or the spring puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the family Agaricaceae. The saprobic species has been found in Africa, Europe, Central America, and North America, where i ...

'' is similar is appearance, but its spines do not break off in sheets. The exoperidium of '' L. rimulatum'' sometimes peels off in sheets, but it does not have spines on its surface.

Habitat and distribution

The puffball is

saprobic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (f ...

, and grows on the ground singly, scattered, or in groups. A fairly common species, it is often found on sandy soil, in nutrient-poor locations, or in

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

woods, where it fruits between June and December. It is found in Australia, Europe and North & South America. The puffball was featured on a postage stamp from the

Ascension Islands One of the Southampton Island offshore island groups, the Ascension Islands are uninhabited islands located in Foxe Basin's Foxe Channel, northwest of Caribou Island. They are part of the Kivalliq Region, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. R ...

in 1983.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q306634 marginatum Fungi described in 1839 Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America