''Lycoperdon nigrescens'', with the synonym ''Lycoperdon foetidum'', commonly known as the dusky 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 ...

''. It was first described scientifically in 1794 by the Swedish naturalist

Göran Wahlenberg Georg (Göran) Wahlenberg (1 October 1780 – 22 March 1851) was a Sweden, Swedish natural history, naturalist. He was born in Filipstad Municipality, Kroppa, Värmland County. Wahlenberg matriculated at Uppsala University in 1792, received ...

. Visually similar to other species when young, it grows increasingly darker with age, and lacks the pronounced stipe that old ''

Lycoperdon perlatum ''Lycoperdon perlatum'', popularly known as the common puffball, warted puffball, gem-studded puffball, wolf farts or the devil's snuff-box, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae. A widespread species with a cosmopolitan dis ...

'' attain. It appears from summer to fall in both conifer and hardwood forests, in addition to alpine areas. The caps are shaped somewhat like pears, with spines ranging in brightness, which later break off. The surface is dark between the spines. The stipe has thin strands coming from its base.

References

External links

* Fungi described in 1794 Fungi of Europe Puffballs nigrescens {{Agaricaceae-stub