puffball

Puffball refers to a group of fungi that produce rounded, ball- or pear-shaped fruiting bodies. The most familiar puffballs belong to the genera Calvatia and Lycoperdon, within the broader groups of the Lycoperdaceae and related families. They are typically saprotrophic, living on soil, leaf litter, or decaying wood.

The fruiting body is usually spherical or globe-shaped, with a tough outer rind called the peridium. Immature specimens are white and smooth, and sizes range from a few centimeters to large forms such as the giant puffball, Calvatia gigantea, which can exceed 30 centimeters in diameter. Inside, the flesh contains a gleba that is white at first and gradually darkens to olive-brown as spores mature.

As puffballs mature, the outer wall may split at the top or rupture, allowing the interior to rupture and release a cloud of spores. This dispersal is often triggered by rain impact, wind, or physical disturbance, giving puffballs their common name.

Habitat and distribution are broad; puffballs appear in meadows, pastures, forests, and disturbed grounds in temperate and some tropical regions. They typically fruit after rains, with fruiting seasons varying by climate.

Edibility is variable. Some puffballs are edible when the interior is pure white and firm, and the outer rind is removed. Many species require careful identification, as mature specimens or look-alikes such as earthballs (Scleroderma spp.) can cause gastrointestinal distress or poisoning. Proper preparation and caution are advised, and false puffballs should be avoided. Puffballs play a role in decomposition and nutrient recycling in their ecosystems.