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 that the spiny outer layer peels off in sheets.

Lycoperdon marginatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Fungi
Division:
Basidiomycota
Class:
Agaricomycetes
Order:
Agaricales
Family:
Agaricaceae
Genus:
Lycoperdon
Species:
L. marginatum
Binomial name
Lycoperdon marginatum
Vittad. (1839)

Taxonomy

The species was first described scientifically in 1839 by Vittadini.[1] Molecular analysis places it the species in the subgenus Lycoperdon of the genus Lycoperdon, along with L. perlatum and L. norvegicum.[2]

It is commonly known as the peeling puffball.[3]

Description

The fruit bodies of Lycoperdon marginatum are roughly spherical when young, becoming flattened and more pear-shaped in maturity, and have dimensions of 1–5 cm (0.4–2.0 in) wide. A short, tapering stalk holds the fruit body. Initially white, the surface of the peridium (spore case) is densely covered with short spines; the spines eventually fall off in irregular sheets, exposing the smooth, brown underlying surface. Mature fruit bodies form a small opening at the top through which spores are released. The internal spore-bearing tissue, the gleba, is initially white and firm, but becomes greenish-brown and then greyish-brown and powdery at the mushroom matures. The spores are spherical, covered with minute warts, and measure 3.5–4.5 μm.[3] It has yellowish-brown capillitium threads that have a few pores or septa, and measure 6–7 μm wide.[4]

The edibility of the puffball is not known with certainty, and there have been conflicting reports in this regard, with some listing it as safe to eat,[5] and others described it as poisonous.[3] The species is used in Mexico to produce auditory hallucinations, although chemical analysis of fruit bodies as not revealed the presence of any substances that would cause this effect.[6]

Lycoperdon echinatum is similar is appearance, but its spines do not break off in sheets.[3] The exoperidium of L. rimulatum sometimes peels off in sheets, but it does not have spines on its surface.[6]

Habitat and distribution

The puffball is saprobic, and grows on the ground singly, scattered, or in groups. A fairly common species, it is often found on sandy soil, in nutrient-poor locations, or in oak-pine woods, where it fruits between June and December.[3] It is found in Australia,[7] Europe and North & South America.

The puffball was featured on a postage stamp from the Ascension Islands in 1983.[8]

gollark: Idea: recreational solar-system-destroying weaponry.
gollark: > I need a nuke to defend myselforbital bombardment > nukes
gollark: A good teacher can make it more interesting, and maybe inspire some students to care somehow, at least.
gollark: I think it *is* a fundamental issue. If you force people to learn things they don't care about and don't want to do, they'll do the bare minimum.
gollark: They also have this graph of % in work/study, which is oddly different to the earnings one.

References
  1. Moris GG, de Notaris J (1839). Florula Caprariae (in Latin). Turin, Italy: Ex Regio Typographeo. p. 226.
  2. Larsson E, Jeppson M (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships among species and genera of Lycoperdaceae based on ITS and LSU sequence data from north European taxa". Mycological Research. 112: 4–22. doi:10.1016/j.mycres.2007.10.018. PMID 18207380.
  3. Bessette AE, Roody WC, Bessette AR (2007). Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. pp. 316–7. ISBN 978-0815631125.
  4. Ellis JB, Ellis MB (1990). Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes): An Identification Handbook. London, UK: Chapman and Hall. p. 238. ISBN 0-412-36970-2.
  5. Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. pp. 332–33. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.
  6. Arora D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. pp. 694–5. ISBN 0-89815-169-4.
  7. May TW, Milne J, Shingles S, Jones RH (2008). Fungi of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 978-0643069077.
  8. Moss MO. (1998). "Gasteroid Basidiomycetes on postage stamps". Mycologist. 12 (3): 104–6. doi:10.1016/S0269-915X(98)80005-0.
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