Lycoperdaceae

Lycoperdaceae is a family of fungi commonly known as puffballs. Members produce globe- to pear-shaped fruiting bodies that lack a conventional mushroom cap and gills. The outer peridium surrounds a hollow interior filled with a powdery mass of spores (gleba). As the fruiting body matures, the peridium often ruptures or forms an opening, allowing the mature spores to be dispersed as a cloud when touched or disturbed by rain. Taxonomic placement has varied: in some classifications Lycoperdaceae is recognized as a distinct family within the order Agaricales, while others place these genera in the Agaricaceae or treat Lycoperdaceae as a subfamily.

Genera commonly associated with the group include Lycoperdon, Bovista, Calvatia, and Handkea, among others. These puffballs are typically saprotrophic, growing on soil, decaying vegetation, wood chips, or animal dung, and they occur in a wide range of habitats worldwide. Fruiting is influenced by moisture and temperature, and can occur from late spring to autumn in temperate regions.

Edibility varies by species and developmental stage. Some puffballs, such as certain Calvatia species, are edible when the interior gleba is white and firm. Many others are not consumed or can cause adverse reactions if misidentified. Because immature fruiting bodies of poisonous look-alikes (for example earthballs of Scleroderma) can resemble young puffballs, careful cut-open checks of gleba color are advised before consumption.

Ecologically, Lycoperdaceae fungi contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. They are also of interest to foragers and mycologists for their distinctive fruiting bodies and spore dispersal mechanisms.