Puffballs & the like
At maturity, the fruitbodies of the fungi in this group generally contain prodigious quantities of powdery spores. The fruitbodies may be spherical to pear-shaped or somewhat columnar in shape and range from less than a centimetre to over 30 centimetres in extent. Spores are mostly some shade of brown, from pale yellow-brown to dark brown, depending on species.
Almost all species produce their fruitbodies on the ground, a few produce them on on wood.
In the following hints you see examples of useful identification features and a few of the more commonly seen genera in which at least some species (not necessarily all) show those features.
Hints
Spore mass lilac: Calvatia.
Fruitbody over 30 centimetres in diameter: Calvatia.
Warning
If you have a flattish fruitbody, with purplish-black powdery spores inside a thin, brittle crust - check the slime mould Fuligo septica.
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Discussion
Scleroderma sp.
Scleroderma sp.
Unidentified Fruitbody thick walled, splitting from the top
Significant sightings
Recent activity
Scleroderma sp. at Ulladulla, NSW
Scleroderma sp. at Ulladulla, NSW
Scleroderma sp. at Ulladulla, NSW
Lycoperdon sp. at Yarralumla, ACT
Lycoperdon sp. at Yarralumla, ACT
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