''Lycoperdon'' is a genus 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 ...

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 classified within the now-obsolete order

Lycoperdales The Lycoperdales are a now outdated order of fungi. The order included some well-known types such as the giant puffball, the earthstars, and other tuberous fungi. They were defined as having epigeous basidiomes, a hymenium present, one to three ...

, as the type genus which, following a restructuring of fungal taxonomy brought about by

molecular phylogeny Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

, has been split. ''Lycoperdon'' is now placed in the family

Agaricaceae The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. Taxonomy The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...

of the order

Agaricales The fungal order Agaricales, also known as gilled mushrooms (for their distinctive gills) or euagarics, contains some of the most familiar types of mushrooms. The order has 33 extant families, 413 genera, and over 13,000 described species, alo ...

. The scientific name has been created with Greek words (''lycos'' meaning ''wolf'' and ''perdon'' meaning ''to fart'') and based on several European dialects in which the mushroom name sounds like ''wolf-farts''. Most species are edible, ranging from mild to tasting distinctly of shrimp.

Species

* ''

Lycoperdon caudatum ''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 ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon pedicellatum'') J.Schröt. * ''

Lycoperdon curtisii ''Lycoperdon curtisii'' is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It was first species description, described scientifically in 1859 by Miles Joseph Berkeley. ''Vascellum curtisii'', published by Hanns Kreisel in 1963, is a syno ...

'' * ''

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 ...

'' Pers. * ''

Lycoperdon ericaceum ''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 ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon muscorum'') * ''

'', var. ''subareolatum'' * ''

Lycoperdon lambinonii ''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 ...

'' Demoulin 1972 * ''

Lycoperdon lividum ''Lycoperdon lividum'', commonly known as the grassland puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It is found in Europe, where it grows on sandy soil in pastures, dunes, and heaths, especially in coastal areas. It frui ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon spadiceum'') Pers. 1809 * ''

Lycoperdon mammiforme ''Lycoperdon mammiforme'' is a rare, inedible type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon'', found in deciduous forest on chalk soil. It is found in Europe. The fruit body In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flower ...

'' Pers. 1801 * ''

Lycoperdon marginatum ''Lycoperdon marginatum'', commonly known as the peeling puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. A common species, it is found in Europe and North America, where it grows on the ground. It is characterized by the way ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon candidum'') Vittadini * ''

Lycoperdon molle ''Lycoperdon molle'', commonly known as the smooth puffball or the soft puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It was first described scientifically in 1799 by Dutch mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. The puffb ...

'' * ''

Lycoperdon nigrescens ''Lycoperdon nigrescens'', with the synonym ''Lycoperdon foetidum'', commonly known as the dusky puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It was first described scientifically in 1794 by the Swedish naturalist Göra ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon foetidum'') Bonord * ''

Lycoperdon norvegicum ''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 ...

'' Demoulin 1971 * ''

Lycoperdon ovoidisporum ''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 ...

'' * ''

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 ...

'' (Syn. ''Lycoperdon gemmatum'') * ''

Lycoperdon pratense ''Lycoperdon pratense'', commonly known as the meadow puffball, is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It is found in Great Britain and Ireland, including the Outer Hebrides, mainland Europe, and occasionally in North America ...

'' * ''

Lycoperdon pyriforme ''Apioperdon pyriforme'' commonly known as the pear-shaped puffball or stump puffball, is a saprobic fungus present throughout much of the world. Emerging in autumn, this puffball is common and abundant on decaying logs of both deciduous and coni ...

'' Schaeff. 1774 * ''

Lycoperdon pulcherrimum ''Lycoperdon pulcherrimum'' is a type of puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It was first described scientifically in 1873 by Miles Joseph Berkeley and Moses Ashley Curtis Moses Ashley Curtis (11 May 1808 – 10 April 1872) was a no ...

'' Berk. & M.A. Curtis * '' Lycoperdon rupicola'' * '' Lycoperdon subincarnatum'' * ''

Lycoperdon subumbrinum ''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 cla ...

'' * ''

Lycoperdon umbrinum ''Lycoperdon umbrinum'', commonly known as the umber-brown puffball, is a type of Puffball mushroom in the genus ''Lycoperdon''. It is found in China, Europe, and North America. Description This species has a fruit body that is shaped like a to ...

References

External links

* * Agaricales genera Agaricaceae Puffballs {{agaricaceae-stub

Species

See also

References

External links