Lycoperdon

Bottle Puffball ( Lycoperdon perlatum )

The puffballs ( Lycoperdon ) is a fungal genus of the family of mushroom relatives ( Agaricaceae ). Up to the Hasen- Puffball (L. utriformis ) puffballs are divided into a sterile stalk and a spore- producing headboard. The name refers to the mature fruiting bodies, spores fizzles dust inside the touch or pressure in a significant cloud.

Features

The fruiting bodies are more or less pear-shaped. Under the chambered basal carrying the spores along with scalp ( Gleba ), there is a chambered, sterile fruiting body part ( Subgleba ). After the maturity of the fungi open at the top with a hole. The peridia, that is, the outer cover of the fruit body is twice. The outer peridium is often spiny to warty abschuppend.

Ecology

The puffballs are saprobiontische bottom dwellers. Only the pear Puffball ( Lycoperdon pyriforme ) growing on decaying wood.

System

The genus of puffballs formerly belonged to the now obsolete subclass of the stomach fungi ( Gastromycetidae ), where to order Stäublingsartigen ( Lycoperdales ). Today it is of order ( Agaricales ) associated with mushroom -like in the subclass Agaricomycetidae.

Species

Worldwide occur about 50 species. For Europe, the following taxa are known or expected to be:

Bag Puffball lycoperdon excipuliforme

Dwarf willow Puffball lycoperdon frigidum

Flake Puffball lycoperdon mammiforme

Flaking Puffball Lycoperdon marginatum

Soft Puffball Lycoperdon molle

Smelly Puffball Lycoperdon nigrescens

Bottle Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum

Pear Puffball lycoperdon pyriforme

Brown peat moss Puffball lycoperdon subincarnatum

Brown Puffball lycoperdon umbrinum

Rabbit Puffball lycoperdon utriforme